Baked pasta nests: a delicious and very easy first course to prepare

Name: Baked pasta nests: a delicious and very easy first course to prepare
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: En
Ingredients: 200 g spaghetti; 200 ml tomato sauce; 1 mozzarella (with little moisture); 12 olives; Basil, to taste; Salt, to taste; ½ small onion

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Main Dish

Very Easy

35 min

639 Kcal

Very easy to prepare and beautiful to look at, baked spaghetti nests are perfect to serve at your Sunday lunches or for any other special occasion: decorated with olives (as we did), they also make a great first course for Easter lunch. We decided to dress these tasty pasta nests with a simple tomato sauce, but you can let your imagination run wild if you feel like trying new sauces with other ingredients. Another great thing about this recipe is that you can also make it with leftover pasta; the important thing is to use a long pasta shape, otherwise you won't be able to create the swallow's-nest effect. Below, we explain the method step by step. All that's left is to try this great idea at home!

Ingredients

200 g spaghetti
200 ml tomato sauce
1 mozzarella (with little moisture)
12 olives
Basil, to taste
Salt, to taste
½ small onion

Materials

Pot
Knife
Cutting board
Muffin tin or individual baking molds

Preparation

Preparation15 min

Cook time20 min

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta.
Finely chop the half onion and sauté it in a skillet with olive oil. Add the tomato sauce and let it simmer for about 10 minutes.
Drain the pasta when it is very al dente (at least 2–3 minutes before the time indicated on the package) and quickly toss it in the pan with the tomato sauce.
Using a pastry brush or paper towel, brush each muffin cup with olive oil. Take a generous forkful of spaghetti, twist it into a nest, and place it in a muffin cup. If the base of a spaghetti nest has come apart a little, arrange it directly in the muffin cup with the help of a fork. Repeat with the remaining cups.
Cut the mozzarella into pieces. Try to create a small indentation on top of the nests and place the mozzarella pieces inside.
Drizzle a little oil over each pasta nest and bake for 11–12 minutes at 350°F/180°C. (Cooking times may vary depending on your oven, so check that the mozzarella has melted well and the top of the spaghetti is golden.)
Gently remove the spaghetti nests from the molds and place them on a flat plate. Garnish with 2 olives on top of the mozzarella and a fresh basil leaf.

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FAQ ❓

How long can I store baked pasta nests?

You can store them in the refrigerator for a couple of days in a covered container. Before serving, drizzle them with a little oil and reheat them in the oven for 5–6 minutes.

What pasta should I use to make pasta nests?

We used spaghetti, but you can also use linguine or tagliatelle.

How can I make baked spaghetti nests crispier?

Simply bake them for longer, but be careful: they could dry out too much and lose their flavor.

What can I add to make the sauce even more flavorful?

To add even more flavor to the tomato sauce, we recommend using black olives cut into small pieces so they blend perfectly into the nests.

How many pasta nests can I make with these quantities?

With 200 g of spaghetti, you can make 6 pasta nests.

What can I use instead of a muffin tin?

If you don't have a muffin tin, you can use disposable individual baking molds or mini cocottes.

What sauces can I use to make pasta nests?

You can choose whichever sauces you like to dress the pasta. However, we recommend starting with a tomato sauce to keep the spaghetti from drying out too much in the oven. For a "white" version, we recommend mixing the pasta with beaten egg and then adding the other ingredients; mushrooms and bacon would be one option.

Can I use leftover pasta to make nests?

Absolutely. This is also a great zero-waste recipe.

How can I make the base of the pasta nests sturdier?

When you remove your pasta nests from the molds, you'll see that the base tends to unravel more easily. To make it sturdier, we recommend sprinkling breadcrumbs into the bottom of the molds, or making a base with a melting cheese (use something like scamorza rather than mozzarella).