Jamie Oliver’s unique twist on pasta bake labelled 'delicious' by cooking fans

Fans who have put the recipe to the test have confirmed it's a big hit with the kids.

14:43, Thu, Nov 2, 2023 | UPDATED: 19:54, Fri, Nov 3, 2023

Jamie Oliver makes Tomato Leek Pasta Bake

Jamie Oliver has shared his secret pasta bake topping, and it is guaranteed to give the family favourite dish an extra layer of deliciousness.

The creative twist elevates the simple recipe by adding an element of crunch while packing a handful of seasonal vegetables for nutrients.

Jamie demonstrated the recipe in a clip on his YouTube channel, where he received numerous comments confirming the dish is a hit with children.

“I’m going to show you how to make the most delicious, straightforward pasta bake,” the cook declared in a clip recently posted to his channel.

The dish is a comforting amalgamation of sweet leeks, tomatoes, basil, and parmesan, and a unique garnish: garlicky crumb.

The secret component of the dish lies in the topping, however, which the British cook likes to describe as "the most amazing breadcrumb".

“When it comes to family favourites, it’s pretty hard to beat a good pasta bake,” he notes. “Especially when it has a deliciously crunchy garlic breadcrumb topping!"

Fans confirmed this in the comments. One exclaimed: “Simple ingredients, easy to make, delicious,” while another quipped: “Love the garlic bread hacks!! Jamie [is] simply the best!”

Ingredients:

½ x 170g loaf of garlic bread

Olive oil

Two cloves of garlic

Two leeks

One bunch of fresh basil (30g)

Two teaspoons of dried oregano

Three x 400g tins of plum tomatoes

500g dried pasta, such as orecchiette, conchiglie or gemelli

50g Parmesan cheese, plus extra to serve

Eight cubes of fresh spinach.

bake 2

The British cook's twist on the pasta bake is a hit with children (Image: Getty)

Method:

1. Tear a white partially baked garlic into a blender and blitz into fine crumbs, then mix in a little olive oil and set aside.
2. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas 4. Peel and finely slice the garlic and trim. Wash and finely slice the white part of the leeks (keep the green tops for another dish)
3. Drizzle two tablespoons of oil into a large shallow casserole pan over medium heat and add the garlic. Finely slice the basil stalks, then add them to the pan, along with the dried oregano and gently fry for a couple of minutes.
4. Add the leeks to the pan, season with salt and pepper, and cook gently until softened, stirring regularly and lowering the heat if they start to colour.
5. Add the tomatoes, breaking them up with a spoon, and half-fill each tin with water, swirl around, and pour into the pan. Bring to a boil, then reduce to low heat and let simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.

Bake

Jamie Oliver uses garlic bread as a topping on the dish for extra crunch (Image: Getty)

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6. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large saucepan of boiling salted water for eight minutes, drain, and put aside a mugful of the starchy cooking water.
7. Tip the sauce into a blender with most of the basil leaves and whiz until smooth, then season to perfect. Return the sauce to the casserole pan, and stir through the cooked pasta, loosening it with the reserved cooking water if needs be.
8. Finely grate over the cheese, then nestle the frozen spinach into the paste. Sprinkle over the garlic breadcrumbs and bake for 20 minutes, until the crumbs are golden, the pasta is tender and the sauce is bubbling.
9. When it’s cooked, let it sit for a couple of minutes then sprinkle over the reserved basil leaves and finish with a final grating of Parmesan. Delicious served with a crisp green salad.