Capellini al Forno con Gamberi

The fancy name makes it sound like something exotic, but it is just baked angel hair pasta with shrimp.  I adapted it from a Food Network recipe.  The original recipe called for prosciutto, but I wanted to make a main dish my pescatarian nephew would eat, instead of making him rely on side dishes for dinner.

Capellini al Forno con Gamberi

•  6 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced at room temperature, plus extra for greasing pan
• 1 pound angel hair pasta
• 1 cup plus 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 3 eggs, at room temperature, beaten
• 3/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 cup breadcrumbs (I used Italian seasoned panko style)
• 1 pound shrimp -- peeled, deveined, lightly sautéed with garlic and Italian seasoning -- tails removed
• 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded mozzarella
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 (25 - 28 ounce) jar marinara/spaghetti sauce, warmed

Place oven rack in center of the oven.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Butter the bottom and sides of a 9-inch spring form pan.

Cook pasta until al dente.  Drain well and place in a large bowl.  Add 4 tablespoons butter, 1 cup Parmesan, eggs, parsley, salt and pepper.  Toss well until coated.

Sprinkle 1/4 cup breadcrumbs in the bottom of the pan.  Spread 1/3 of the pasta on top.  Arrange half of the shrimp in a single layer on the top.  Sprinkle half of the mozzarella on top.  Add 1/3 of the pasta and push down slightly to form an even layer.  Repeat the layers with 1/4 cup breadcrumbs, the remaining pasta, shrimp 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 tablespoons butter.  Drizzle with olive oil and bake until golden on top - 45 to 50 minutes.  Cool for 10 minutes.

Remove he sides of the pan and cut the pasta into wedges.  Serve with warm marinara sauce.


HINT:  If you don't have a spring form pan, a casserole dish would be just fine to cook and serve.