Michela Chiappa's cheesy Christmas Eve pasta
Michela's in the kitchen, showing us how to whip up her fast, fun, festive pasta for your Christmas Eve dinner. She's giving the viral baked feta pasta a Christmas makeover, using camembert to make an indulgent silky, one-pan feast for the family.
Cheesy Christmas Eve pasta
Serves: 2-4
Ingredients
Olive oil, for drizzling2 small garlic cloves thinly sliced1 whole round Camembert (approx 250g)2 sprigs of rosemary2 small garlic cloves, thinly sliced1/2 punnet cherry tomatoes (approx 14)3 tbsp olive oil200g tagliatelle200ml double cream2 large handfuls baby spinach50g grated Parmesan50g grated mozzarellaSalt and pepper, to taste6 slices of thin pancetta (or bacon) - optional
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180℃.
2. Drizzle a baking dish (approx 25-30cm) with some olive oil. Slice the Camembert horizontally through the middle. Put half onto the baking dish and set the other half aside.
3. Peel the leaves off the rosemary stalks and then poke half the garlic slices and half the rosemary leaves into the cheese, surround with the cherry tomatoes and drizzle over 1 tbsp olive oil.
4. Bake for 15 minutes until oozing and golden at the edges.
5. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a pan of boiling salted water until al dente. Drain, reserving a mugful of the cooking water, and place back into the pan.
6. Pour the cream, spinach, 2 tbsp of the Parmesan and the mozzarella into the baking dish with the Camembert and tomatoes and stir so that the cheese dissolves and breaks apart. Then add the cooked pasta, season and gently toss with a splash of the reserved cooking water, breaking up the Camembert until everything is coated in the sauce.
7. Put the other half of the Camembert on top of the pasta, cut-side down. Pierce a few holes in the rind and poke in the remaining garlic and rosemary.
8. Lay the pancetta over the pasta, scatter over the remaining Parmesan, drizzle the remaining 2tbsp oil over and put under the grill for 10 mins until the cheese has melted and the pancetta is super crispy (you might need to turn the pancetta halfway).