When I first mentioned Dolci, Italy's Sweets (Stewart, Tabori & Chang, October 2011) by Francine Segan with Sicilian Watermelon Pudding Recipe, I noted how it offers unusual dishes like Chocolate Eggplant.

Will amateurs of pastries pause for a minute when pasta is part of the dessert?

Give it a try with Angel Hair Pasta Pie

Angel Hair Pasta Pie
Torta ricciolina
serves 8
region: Emilia-Romagna

Angel hair pasta seasoned with chocolate and almonds bakes into one of the most unusual, delicious treats I’ve ever tasted. To make this classic Bolognese dessert, you absolutely must use fresh, not dried, egg pasta, as it isn’t boiled before baking. If making your own pasta seems daunting, buy readymade fresh instead. Just make sure it’s egg pasta, the kind with a deep yellow color. Water-and-flour white pasta is simply too dry for this dish.
This is a great make-ahead dessert, as it’s much better the day after, once all the flavors have melded.

Blanched whole almonds v 1½ cups (8 ounces/225 grams)
Sugar: ¾ cup (5 ¼ ounces/150 grams)
Grated zest of 1 lemon
A small handful of finely chopped candied citron or candied orange peel
Unsweetened cocoa powder v 1 tablespoon
½ recipe Pie Crust Dough (page 198)
Thin fresh egg pasta, such as tagliatelline or angel hair, store-bought or homemade (page 200) v 8
ounces/225 grams
Butter: 6 tablespoons (3 ounces/85 grams), thinly sliced
Rum: 6 tablespoons
Confectioners’ sugar

Grind the almonds and granulated sugar in a food processor until the mixture resembles coarse
sand. Pulse in the lemon zest, candied citron, and cocoa powder until well combined. Divide into
3 portions.

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).

Roll the pie crust dough out into a circle large enough to line a 9- to 10-inch (23- to 25-centimeter)
pie pan and fit it into the pan. With a fork, pierce the bottom and sides of the crust.
Divide the pasta into 3 portions, with one portion slightly larger than the other two. Line the pie
crust with the larger portion of pasta and sprinkle with one portion of the almond mixture. Lift the
pasta with the tip of a knife so it is loose and free-form. Do not press the pasta down. Dot the
pasta with one third of the butter. Top with another layer of pasta sprinkled with a portion of the
almond mixture and more butter. Repeat to make a third layer.

Loosely cover with aluminum foil, bake for 25 minutes, then remove the foil and continue baking
uncovered for another 20 to 25 minutes, until the top is golden and the center set.

Remove from the oven and immediately sprinkle the top of the pie with the rum. It will hiss and
absorb quickly, with most of the alcohol evaporating, leaving just a lovely aroma and flavor.

Cool to room temperature on a wire rack. Sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar and serve, or,
preferably, let stand overnight or for 24 hours before serving.

(* Angel Hair Pasta Pie recipe from Dolci, Italy's Sweets by Francine Segan - Stewart, Tabory & Chang- October 2011- reproduced by permission of the publisher, Photos by Ellen Silverman, all rights reserved)