Baked angel hair pasta with prosciutto

Baked angel hair pasta with prosciutto – Capellini al forno is a wonderful way to serve pasta as it’s quite a show stopper. This baked pasta dish is very filling and a little will go a long way.

Putting this dish together can be quite the challenge. It requires robust and well seasoned ingredients in order to bring it all together in a great pasta cake. It also requires a large mixing bowl in order to incorporate all those flavours.

Be sure to add a good tomato sauce to serve it with. You’ll need it!

Baked angel hair pasta with prosciutto – Capellini al forno: serves up to 8

6 tbsp unsalted butter, diced, at room temperature, plus extra for greasing pan
1 pound capellini (angel hair) pasta
11/2 cups grated Parmesan
3 eggs, at room temperature, beaten
3/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 tbsp sea salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 cup plain, freshly grated breadcrumbs
1 pound prosciutto, sliced 1/8-inch thick and coarsely chopped
2 cups (8 oz) shredded smoked mozzarella
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 x16 oz jars Pasta Nostra tomato and herb sauce, warmed

Place an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°.
Butter the bottom and sides of a 9-inch diameter, nonstick spring-form pan. Set aside.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until firm to the bite, 4-5 minutes. Drain and place in large mixing bowl.
Add 4 tbsp butter, 1 cup Parmesan, eggs, parsley, salt and pepper. Toss until well coated.
Sprinkle 1/4 cup breadcrumbs in the bottom of the prepared spring-form pan.
Spread 1/3 of the seasoned pasta in the pan in an even layer then arrange half of the prosciutto and half of the mozzarella in a single layer on top of that.
Add 1/3 of the pasta and push down lightly to form an even layer.
Repeat the layers with 1/4 cup breadcrumbs, the remaining pasta, prosciutto and mozzarella.
In a small bowl, mix the remaining 1/2 cup breadcrumbs and Parmesan together. Sprinkle over the layers and dot with the remaining 2 tbsp butter.
Drizzle with olive oil and bake until light golden on top, 45-50 minutes.
Allow the capellini al forno to cool for up to 10 minutes before removing the sides of the spring-form pan.
Cut the pasta into wedges and serve with warm tomato sauce.