Baked Camembert with Pasta

Cheese, cheese, cheese. I could talk about cheese until the cows come home...and provide us with more milk, to make more cheese! Yay! I have been a cheese fanatic for as long as I can recall and I haven't found a cheese yet that I dislike. Cheese, being high in fat, I like to see as a treat. I also regard it as an important food to boost my intake of dietary calcium, along with yogurt, as I'm not a big fan of milk. I currently have a lovely vintage Cheddar and Parmesan (for an impending risotto) in my fridge and up until recently, there was a Camembert round too. Half of this Camembert round for 2 people (or the whole thing for 4) will provide you with this luscious and very simple pasta lunch dish. It is also a lovely date type of lunch as it requires sharing, which we are all more than happy to do with our partner, right?! I hope you enjoy.

Baked Camembert and spinach fusilli pasta are served

Ingredients:

• A half a Camembert round/approx. 125 g
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 1 clove of garlic, finely sliced
• Pepper and salt
• 2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 200 g fusilli pasta
• 100 g baby leaf spinach (washed)
• Fresh whole nutmeg (optional)

The Camembert studded with rosemary and garlic, ready for the oven

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C/350 F/gas mark 4.
2. Pop the cheese into a little ramekin and scour it slightly, pressing the garlic and 1 sprig of rosemary into the scoured slits of the rind.
3. Drizzle with 1 teaspoon of oil and grind a little pepper and salt on top. Pop it into the oven.
4. Finely chop the second sprig of rosemary.
5. After 3 to 4 minutes, boil the pasta in salted water for about 10 minutes and reserve a little pasta water.
6. Sweat the spinach in the same saucepan, with 2 to 3 tablespoons of pasta liquid and 1 teaspoon of oil. This should take less than a minute and it will wilt quite a lot.
7. Add back the pasta, chopped rosemary and 15 gratings of fresh nutmeg (if using) and toss well, adding extra seasoning if required, to your own taste.
8. Serve in bowls, bring your lusciously oozing baked cheese along to the table too and tuck in.
   
   

   

   Baked cheesy pasta goodness!