Albanian baked leeks with rice (Tavë me presh)

1. Trim the leeks (cut off the tough dark green leaves), wash them thoroughly and cut into 3 cm pieces.

2. In a deep frying pan, cook them in 4 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat for 8-10 minutes until wilted and soft.

3. Stir in the tomato purée and paprika, then the washed rice, season with salt and pepper and pour in 400 ml of hot water.

4. Preheat the oven to 190 °C. Pour the mixture into an oiled clay or baking dish and drizzle with the remaining olive oil.

5. Bake for 35-40 minutes until the rice is tender, the water absorbed and the top lightly browned; crumble the feta over the top for the last 10 minutes.

6. Rest for 10 minutes, then serve lukewarm with yoghurt – as a side or a Lenten main.

Tip: This is the winter, Lenten version of the Albanian tavë (baked tray dish); on meat days it's layered with minced veal or lamb. If you don't have feta you can leave it out – the classic fasting version is cheese-free.