Recipe Instructions:
8 ounces old fashioned rolled oats
8 ounces Asiago cheese, finely grated
6 ounces butter, softened
16 ounces cavatelli (farfalle, spaghetti, pappardelle and fettuccine also work well)
Freshly ground pepper
Red pepper flakes (optional)
In a food processor, grind the oats until powdery.
In a large bowl, mix the oat powder, Asiago and butter. Mix well and knead with your hands for a couple of minutes until it comes together into uniform dough. Press the dough into a disk (or cube, or any other shape of your liking) and refrigerate for about 2 hours, until very firm.
Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Remove the dough from the fridge, and using a cheese grater, grate the dough over the baking sheet. (Make sure the gratings are uniformly distributed).
Bake for about 25-30 minutes. Remove the sheet from the oven, and leave the gratings on it to crisp.
In the meantime, cook your pasta to al dente. Drain the pasta and arrange it on individual plates. Pour the crumb mixture over the top, and season to taste with pepper and red pepper flakes (this is optional -- I like them, but my husband does not). Toss well and serve very hot.
