CHEF ABE CONLON’S ALETRIA DOCE WITH ANGEL HAIR

This is Chef Abe Conlon from Fat Rice’s take on a unique, traditional Portuguese dessert. Aletria Doce is usually baked in a pan and cut into squares but his version is served with loose pasta mounted in a sweet custard sauce. To celebrate the quality of the Barilla Angel Hair he cooks the pasta slightly less to maintain an al dente, slightly-toothsome bite. The Cinnamon Almond Topping provides an elegant, contrasting texture.
Photo Credit @galdophoto

INGREDIENTS
Topping
1 cup sliced almonds
¼ cup sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Custard
3-1/3 cups half & half
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 large strip lemon zest
1 cup sugar, divided
8 egg yolks

Pasta
8 cups water
1/3 cup sugar
1 orange, zested
1 star anise
1 cinnamon stick
9 ounces Barilla® Angel Hair

DIRECTIONS
For Topping
Preheat oven to 375ºF. Arrange almonds in single layer on parchment-lined baking sheet.
Bake 5 minutes or until lightly toasted. Sprinkle nuts with sugar. Bake 5-7 minutes, or until sugar begins to caramelize,
stirring occasionally. Remove from oven and cool.
Transfer mixture to food processor; add cinnamon and pulse until finely chopped.

For Custard
Combine half & half, cinnamon, lemon zest and ½-cup sugar in a small saucepan.
Simmer mixture on medium heat until 180ºF. Remove pan from heat.
Whisk egg yolks and remaining sugar in medium bowl.
Pour 1 cup of hot half & half mixture into the egg yolks. Whisk vigorously to temper the yolks. Pour mixture back into saucepan,
whisking constantly to avoid scrambling the eggs.
Cook 4-5 min. on medium heat until slightly thickened and mixture coats the back of a spoon.
Strain mixture through fine mesh strainer into a shallow baking dish; keep warm.

For Pasta
Meanwhile bring water, sugar, orange zest, star anise and cinnamon to a boil in large pot.
Add pasta; cook 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain and immediately combine pasta with custard in baking dish until fully coated.
Gently press pasta into dish; cover with plastic wrap and cool to room temperature.
Gently warm and sprinkle with topping before serving.