Honey and Nut Pasta Nests
Honey and Nut Pasta Nests
Baked nests of buttered capellini layered with chopped nuts, baked golden and soaked in a lemon-honey syrup — a baklava-like pasta dessert.
Prep: 25 minutes · Cook: 45 minutes
What Is Honey and Nut Pasta Nests?
A baklava-inspired dessert that swaps pastry for pasta: buttered capellini pressed into rings around chopped nuts, baked until golden, then drenched in a lemon-scented honey syrup.
Why Make Honey and Nut Pasta Nests?
- All the flavour of baklava, built on pasta
- The honey syrup soaks the nests like a sweet sponge
- A genuine conversation-piece dessert
- Strained yogurt cuts the sweetness beautifully
- Make-ahead — it's served cool
Unico Products Used in This Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 oz capellini (250 g)
- 8 tsp butter
- 1 1/2 cups pistachio nuts (shelled, chopped)
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup clear honey
- 2/3 cup water
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- salt (a pinch)
- strained yogurt (to serve)
Instructions
- Bring a large saucepan of lightly salted water to a boil, add the pasta and cook 8-10 minutes until al dente; drain and return to the pan.
- Add the butter and toss to coat the pasta; set aside to cool.
- Arrange 4 small flan or poaching rings on a cookie sheet; divide the pasta into 8 portions and press 4 of them into the rings.
- Top with half the chopped nuts, then add the remaining pasta.
- Bake at 350F for 45 minutes, until golden brown.
- Meanwhile, bring the sugar, honey and water to a boil over low heat, stirring until dissolved; simmer 10 minutes, add the lemon juice and simmer 5 minutes more.
- Transfer the nests to a serving dish, pour over the honey syrup, scatter with the remaining nuts and cool completely.
- Serve with strained yogurt on the side.
Cooking Tips
- Cook the capellini just to al dente; it bakes further
- Toss it well in butter so the nests crisp and hold
- Press the nests firmly into the rings so they don't fall apart
- Pour the hot syrup over and let it soak in fully
- Cool completely before serving for the best texture
Frequently Asked Questions About Honey and Nut Pasta Nests
-
1. Walnuts or pistachios?
The recipe uses pistachios despite the name — use either, or a mix.
-
2. Why bake the pasta?
Baking crisps the buttered nests so they hold their shape and turn golden.
-
3. Can I make it ahead?
Yes — it's served cool, so make it several hours ahead.
-
4. What does the yogurt add?
Strained (Greek-style) yogurt balances the sweet honey syrup.
-
5. Can I use a different pasta?
Any very thin long pasta like vermicelli works in place of capellini.
Honey and Nut Pasta Nests Made Simple
Honey and Nut Pasta Nests reinvent baklava with strands instead of sheets. Unico capellini make a surprising, syrup-soaked dessert.