Deep-Fry Angel Hair Pasta For A Unexpectedly Delicious Dessert

When the meal is nearly over and the dessert menu comes out, there's one thing you can usually expect won't be on it: pasta. Normally reserved for the main part of the meal, it's hard to picture how pasta can play a role in the traditionally sweet final course. But the truth is that pasta absolutely deserves a spot on the dessert list, especially if it's deep-fried.

Deep-fried angel hair pasta, or pasta fritta alla Siciliana, is a dish that transforms the thin pasta strands into something completely different — a delicate final course that offers a rich sweetness. While pasta for dessert may seem unexpected, it's actually fairly common in Italy, including variations of fried pasta. If fried pasta sounds like something worth trying, we have good news: it's an easy, decadent treat to add to your repertoire and impress your friends and dinner guests with. Think of it as the more sophisticated cousin of fried dough.

Sweet pasta dates back to before it was used in savory dishes. The natural sweetness of the flour paired well with ingredients like sugar, nuts, and cinnamon. Fried nests of angel hair pasta originated in Sicily as a traditional dessert, but it brings a lot to the modern table and is incredibly easy to make at home.

Begin with angel hair pasta that's already al dente. When you're ready to go, gather portions of the angel hair pasta into little bundled piles — they should look like small bird nests. To cook them, heat your oil until it reaches between 350 and 375 degrees. Once it's at temperature, fry each pasta nest, flipping them once, until they are perfectly golden on the outside. After the pasta nests are fried, it's time to top them.

To keep with tradition, they can be drizzled with a syrup of honey and cinnamon and topped with crushed pistachios. Walnuts are another solid choice, as is topping each bundle with a dollop of crème fraiche or whipped cream.

Deep-fried angel hair pasta is absolutely delicious — crispy on the outside and tender and chewy on the inside. Decked out in honey and crushed nuts, it's reminiscent of baklava while being entirely its own creation. Of course, that's not the only way to prepare pasta for dessert — there are some other sweet options to explore, including chocolate noodles and chocolate stuffed ravioli.

One way to incorporate pasta into dessert is to use giant pasta shells as vessels for rich, sweet fillings. In a piece for Italy magazine, Luca de Luca of the Garofolo pasta company explained, "Pasta shells can be filled with almost anything: vanilla custard, chocolate pudding, panna cotta, semifreddo, sorbet, granita, whipped cream and fresh berries, yogurt and honey ... there are endless possibilities." Before filling, coating the shells in a rich layer of cocoa adds a layer of flavor and a ton of striking visual appeal. Whether you deep-fry your next round of angel hair or decide to explore other examples of dessert pasta, it's a great way to elevate your next meal.