- Serves 4 - Ready in 1 hour 30 min -
*uses up 1 whole marrow* (YES A WHOLE MARROW!!!!)
Gather together...
1 marrow (washed) - the flesh reduces a lot whilst cooking, so you can use a whole marrow in this recipe, with ease.
4 tbsp olive oil or rapeseed oil.
4 garlic cloves (peeled and finely chopped).
2 tsp sugar (e.g. white caster/granulated sugar).
1/2 tsp salt.
350g dry weight (4 cups equivalent) fusilli pasta twirls (I prefer wholewheat pasta, when it is available).
1 - 2 leeks (optional).
3 big handfuls of frozen peas.
2 tubs of cream cheese.
Get cooking...
1. Pre-heat the oven to 190 C (170 C fan) or Gas 5.
2. Use a BIG oven-going tray (I use this HUGE roasting 42cm x 31cm x 8cm tray with deep sides - it ensures everything cook evenly as a single layer, also things don't fall off the side of the tray when you give a good stir).
3. Cut the marrow in half lengthways (remove the top and tail ends) and scrape out and discard the centre seeded part of the marrow. If the outer skin is tough, peel it off the marrow. Then chop the marrow flesh into 1cm x 1cm cubes.
4. Put the cubed marrow, the 4 tbsp oil, the 4 finely chopped garlic cloves, the 2 tsp sugar and the 1/2 tsp salt into the oven tray and mix together really well.
5. Slowly roast the marrow in the oven for 1 hour - HALFWAY through carefully tip any juices (if there are any) out of the tin to ensure the marrow crisps up by the end of the cooking time - keep the juices aside and add it to the pasta cooking water (see next step) for added flavour.
6. Twenty minutes before the oven roasting time is up, start to cook the 350g (4 cups) of fusilli pasta in a pan with water from the kettle (and the marrow water, if any), following packet instructions.
7. Meanwhile, (if using) chop and wash and microwave the leek / leeks for 5 minutes until softened (no need to add any extra water as the water from washing them will be enough), then set aside.
8. Microwave the 3 big handfuls of frozen peas (with 2 tbsp water) until defrosted, not fully heated through (so for about 3 minutes on medium-low), set aside.
9. Once the marrow's oven- cooking time is up, remove the roasting tin from the oven (but leave the oven switched on) and to the roasted marrow in the tin add; the softened leeks (if using), the defrosted peas, the cooked pasta and the two tubs of cream cheese. Stir really, really well (for about a minute).
10. Put the roasting tin of creamy pasta mixture back into the oven for 10 minutes to heat through.
11. Enjoy - you'll be surprised how tasty marrow can be!
Adapted from the Greedy Gourmet Roast Marrow recipe.