If you were to ask me what I wanted for Mother's Day, my answer would be simple...just hugs and kisses and a happy day at home with the kiddos that call me mom. I'm a bit of a homebody. I like home. Of course, if you were to throw in a day where I was free from the burdens responsibilities of home like laundry and dishes and cleaning, I wouldn't turn that down. And if somebody happened to bake me up a round of sexy, oozy, beckoning cheese...well, I may just cry.
While I adore folding noodles into this warm, comforting blanket of cheese...I also adore eating it with nothing other than a loaf of crusty bread and a bottle of wine. And I'm not gonna lie, I could eat the whole round all by my lonesome. But if somebody else happens to be around, I'll share.
Baked Brie with Rigatoni and Spinach
serves ~4
1 (8 oz) round of Brie (in the round box)
2 garlic cloves, peeled & sliced paper thin
1 sprig fresh rosemary, leaves picked
olive oil
sea salt
cracked pepper
16 oz. uncooked Rigatoni (or other pasta)
6 oz. baby spinach
freshly grated Parmesan
Preheat oven to 350° F. Line a sheet tray with foil. Score a circle in the top rind of the Brie, leaving a border of ~½". Peel/trim back the circle of rind and eat or discard. Guess which one of those things I did? Strew the garlic over the exposed cheese. Crack some pepper over it. Scatter the rosemary leaves over it and then drizzle the whole thing with a bit of olive oil.
Place the whole thing on your prepared sheet tray and slide into the oven for ~25 minutes or until it oozes deliciousness. In the meantime, bring a large pot of water to a boil. (Try to time this to coincide with the last ten minutes or so of your Brie's time in the oven.) Salt your water and cook your pasta. Add spinach to water during last minute of cooking time. Drain, saving ~1 cup of your cooking water. Return pasta and spinach to pot, drizzle with a bit more olive oil, season with salt and pepper, to taste and grate some Parmesan cheese over it. Toss.
Divide pasta mixture among serving bowls and serve with your baked Brie...passing it so that everybody can scoop or pour as much as they like over their individual servings of pasta. Fair warning, if I'm at the table, you may want me to go last...because I could just pass on the pasta and go at the Brie with a spoon...
Happy Mother's Day to all of the mama's out there...I hope this day brings you happiness! And cheese.
