Creamy Mafalda Pasta

Heat a large pot of salted water to boiling on high. Wash and dry the fresh produce. Trim off and discard the root end and upper, dark-green leaves of the leek. Halve lengthwise, then thinly slice crosswise; place in a large bowl of cold water and stir vigorously to remove any dirt between the layers. Tear the mushrooms into bite-sized pieces. Cut off and discard the tough, woody stem ends of the asparagus; cut into 1-inch pieces, leaving the pointed tips intact. Peel and roughly chop the garlic. Roughly chop the parsley leaves and stems.

Using your hands (or a slotted spoon), remove the rinsed leek from the bowl of cold water and thoroughly pat dry with paper towels. Transfer to a large bowl; add the flour. Season with salt and pepper. Toss to thoroughly coat. In a large pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat a thin layer of oil on medium-high until hot. Once the oil is hot enough that a pinch of flour sizzles immediately when added to the pan, add the coated leek in a single layer (tapping off any excess flour before adding). Cook, stirring frequently, 4 to 6 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Immediately season with salt and pepper. Wipe out the pan.

In the same pan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the mushrooms and cook, without stirring, 2 to 3 minutes, or until lightly browned. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes, or until browned. (If the pan seems dry, add 1 teaspoon of olive oil.) Season with salt and pepper.

Add the asparagus to the pan and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes, or until slightly softened. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, 1 to 2 minutes, or until softened and fragrant. Turn off the heat.

While the vegetables cook, add the pasta to the pot of boiling water. Cook, stirring occasionally, 8 to 10 minutes, or until al dente (still slightly firm to the bite). Turn off the heat. Reserving ¾ cup of the pasta cooking water, drain thoroughly and return to the pot.

To the pot of cooked pasta, add the cooked vegetables, butter, sour cream, half the parsley, and half the reserved pasta cooking water. Cook on medium-high, stirring vigorously, 2 to 3 minutes, or until thoroughly combined. (If the sauce seems dry, gradually add the remaining pasta cooking water to achieve your desired consistency.) Turn off the heat; season with salt and pepper to taste. Divide the finished pasta among 4 dishes. Top with the crispy leek, cheese, and remaining parsley. Enjoy!