Categories: Vegetables, Casseroles, Main dish, Pasta 
      Yield: 6 servings 
  
    1/2 c  Unsalted butter 
           - cut into small pieces 
      8 lg Fresh sage leaves; -=OR=- 
      1 ts -Dried Sage 
      1 lg Garlic clove; sliced 
           Salt 
    1/2 lb Potatoes; peeled 
           -cut into 1/2-in cubes 
      3 lg Leeks; white parts only, 
           - quartered and sliced 
           - 3/8-in thick 
      2    Garlic cloves; minced 
    1/2 ts Red pepper flakes 
  1 1/2 lb Savoy cabbage; quartered 
           - cut into 1/2-in slices 
    1/2 c  Grated Parmesan cheese 
           - (fresh) 
      1 lb Fettuccine 
    1/2 lb Soft cheese; such as 
           -Taleggio, Bel Paese 
           -or Fresh Mozzarella, sliced 
  
  SLOWLY MELT BUTTER IN HEAVY PAN over low heat with 4 fresh sage leaves or 
  1/2 teaspoon dried, and the sliced garlic. When garlic is golden brown, 
  remove it, but continue to cook butter until light amber with a distinctly 
  nutty aroma. Scoop foam off top as it rises so that you can see the color, 
  then pour it through strainer lined with layer of cheesecloth. Meanwhile, 
  bring 4 quarts water to boil. Add 1 tablespoon salt and potatoes. Cook 5 to 
  8 minutes or until potatoes are fairly tender, but just short of being 
  done. Rinse them immediately with cool water and set them in colander to 
  drain, but reserve cooking water for pasta. Chop or crumble remaining sage 
  leaves. Heat half the brown butter in wide saute pan, add leeks, sage, half 
  the minced garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook over medium-low heat until 
  leeks are soft. Add cabbage, 1 teaspoon salt and a little water. It might 
  be necessary to add cabbage in stages, letting some of it cook down before 
  adding rest. Cover pan and simmer until cabbage is cooked. Add Parmesan 
  cheese and season with plenty of freshly ground black pepper and salt, if 
  needed, to make flavors bright and strong. Return reserved cooking water to 
  boil, add pasta and partially cook it, leaving it a little chewier than you 
  would want to eat. Drain in colander, return it to empty pan and toss with 
  rest of butter, remaining minced garlic and potatoes. Season to taste with 
  salt and pepper. Butter casserole and layer half the noodles, half the 
  cabbage and most of sliced cheese. Shake casserole so that vegetables and 
  cheese can slip in among noodles. Add rest of pasta and cheese and finish 
  with layer of cabbage. At this point, dish can be refrigerated until ready 
  to bake. Bake at 425F about 20 minutes or until hot throughout and cheese 
  is melted. If casserole is cold when placed in oven, bake it covered 15 
  minutes, then remove cover and continue baking until heated through. Serve 
  from baking dish.