Can I use a different kind of cheese?

You can! Any kind of soft ripened cheese (like Brie) will work for this recipe. However, if the cheese you are using doesn't come in a little box like the Camembert does, you will want to put it in some kind of small baking dish so it doesn't just melt all over the cookie sheet.

Can I use dried rosemary instead of fresh for this recipe?

Sadly no...it will be too hard and crispy, and it won't provide the same flavor. You CAN swap in a different fresh herb if you like...thyme or sage would both be wonderful!

Can I leave out the spinach, or use a different vegetable?

I get this question all the time in my very same house! Yes you can - make sure whatever you use is cooked (if it needs to be) and tossed in at the end. I've tried halved cherry tomatoes, chopped zucchini and peas and they are all great (but the spinach is my fave!)

Have a question that I didn't cover already?

Pop your question in the comments below and I will answer pronto!

Pasta with Baked Camembert

Wheel of camembert cheese with rosemary and sliced garlic.

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5 from 1 review

This easy recipe for pasta with baked Camembert cheese is a glorious and elegant version of macaroni and cheese that is good enough for a dinner party!

Author: Kate Morgan Jackson
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Yield: 4 servings 1x
Category: Dinner
Method: Stovetop and Oven
Cuisine: American
Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients

Scale

1 8 ounce round of Camembert (the kind that comes in the thin wooden box)
1 clove of garlic, peeled and sliced
1 sprig of fresh rosemary with the leaves stripped off
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
8 ounces pasta (I like short pasta like ziti or campanelle for this recipe)
1 pound baby spinach

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Instructions

Preheat oven to 350.
Open the box of cheese and unwrap it. Put it back in the wooden box, or in a small baking dish if it didn’t come in a wooden box.
Cut a circle in the top of the rind, then peel that part of the rind off and throw it out.
Lay the garlic slices on top of the cheese and drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil.
Scatter the rosemary leaves over the top and grind some fresh pepper on top.
Put the cheese in its box on a baking sheet and bake for about 25 minutes until soft.
When the cheese has 10 minutes left to cook, cook the pasta according to the package directions. When the pasta is cooked, add the spinach to the pasta for about 30 seconds, scoop out some pasta water, then drain the whole thing together.
Add remaining olive oil and grated Parmesan to the pasta. Season with salt and pepper.
Remove the cheese from the oven and scoop the melted cheese into the pasta. If you want to loosen it up a little, drizzle in some pasta sauce. Toss thoroughly and serve.

Notes

- Camembert: This is a soft creamy cow’s milk cheese that is similar to Brie cheese. It is round with a soft white rind around it, and it usually comes in a wooden box in the fancy cheese area of your grocery store. If you can’t find it, any kind of Brie cheese will also do, and can be baked up in a small baking dish.

- Rosemary: You do need the fresh kind for this recipe! Look in your supermarket’s produce area.

- Pasta: I like a short pasta (like campanelle or penne) for this recipe, but any pasta will work.

Find it online: https://www.framedcooks.com/pasta-with-baked-camembert/