Warning: This dish initially sounds like a bad idea.

It can even look like a bad idea. Or at least a weird idea.

Cottage cheese and pasta?

But the combination works, and the dish is a simple one.

And please bear in mind that cottage cheese's first cousin, ricotta cheese, is a common ingredient in another pasta dish -- lasagna.

One thing to watch out for: Leeks tend to have dirt wedged deep into their folds. To clean them, Jesse Ziff Cool, author of the recent cookbook "Simply Organic," suggests halving them lengthwise, then cutting them crosswise into ½-inch slices. Soak the slices in a large bowl of cool water for 5 minutes, gently stirring occasionally to let the dirt settle to the bottom.

Use a slotted spoon to transfer the leeks to a colander to rinse and drain.