medtran49
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I came up with this recipe because I asked Craig to cook spaghetti for a meat sauce for us. Even though it was just the 2 of us eating and I had only made a small amount of sauce, he cooked a whole box of spaghetti. Instead of throwing it away, I popped it in a bag and stuck it in the freezer, where it was promptly forgotten about. While freezer diving a couple of months ago, I came across the bag and decided to use the spaghetti somehow. We'd made spaghetti pie once years and years ago, and weren't impressed so I thought I could come up with something better.
NOTE: You can use ground round or Italian sausage, but I always increase the seasoning when using ground round, and add a couple of big pinches of dried oregano, some red pepper flakes, maybe some crushed fennel seeds, or just add some Italian seasoning mix.
INGREDIENTS
TOPPING
1-1/4 cup mozzarella cheese
Spaghetti Crust
6 ounces cooked spaghetti, room temperature
2 Tbsp butter, melted
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup large hole grated parmesan cheese
Cheese Layer
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 tsp dried basil or 2 Tbsp chopped fresh
Salt and pepper to taste
Meat Sauce
See note above regarding seasoning.
1 Tbsp EVOO
1 pound ground round or Italian sausage, bulk or removed from casing
3/4 cup diced onion
2 large garlic cloves, smashed and finely chopped
14 ounces fine dice canned tomatoes
1-3/4 cups passata
1/4 cup white or red wine, optional, substitute chicken or vegetable broth
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes or more to taste
3 tsp dried basil
Salt and pepper to taste
Pinch or 2 of sugar if tomatoes are too acidy
Directions
Make the sauce first. Heat a large saucepan over medium high heat, add the oil, swirl to coat, then add your ground meat of choice and brown, breaking up into small pieces as it cooks. When the meat still has a little pink to it, add the onions and stir, reducing heat to medium. When onions are starting to become translucent, add the wine or broth to deglaze the pan. Add the basil and red pepper flakes, stir for a couple of minutes, then add the tomatoes and passata, plus some salt and pepper. I always add a pinch of sugar at this point because we don't like an acidy tasting sauce. Reduce heat to hold a simmer and allow to cook for 20 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings to your taste, then allow to cook for at least 15-20 more minutes. You want a fairly thick sauce. Sauce can be made up to 2 days earlier and refrigerated. Reheat before making the pie.
To make the pie, preheat oven to 350°F.
Cook spaghetti and drain, or slightly warm up leftover spaghetti in the microwave. Toss with butter. Stir in eggs and parmesan cheese. Place spaghetti in a greased deep dish pie plate. Press to form a crust.
Mix ricotta cheese and basil. Place dollops equally around the pie, then spread mixture over spaghetti with the back of a large spoon.
Spread meat and sauce mixture over ricotta cheese layer.
Bake 20-25 minutes. Top with mozzarella and bake about 5 minutes more or until cheese is melted. Cool 5-10 minutes before serving.
I came up with this recipe because I asked Craig to cook spaghetti for a meat sauce for us. Even though it was just the 2 of us eating and I had only made a small amount of sauce, he cooked a whole box of spaghetti. Instead of throwing it away, I popped it in a bag and stuck it in the freezer, where it was promptly forgotten about. While freezer diving a couple of months ago, I came across the bag and decided to use the spaghetti somehow. We'd made spaghetti pie once years and years ago, and weren't impressed so I thought I could come up with something better.
NOTE: You can use ground round or Italian sausage, but I always increase the seasoning when using ground round, and add a couple of big pinches of dried oregano, some red pepper flakes, maybe some crushed fennel seeds, or just add some Italian seasoning mix.
INGREDIENTS
TOPPING
1-1/4 cup mozzarella cheese
Spaghetti Crust
6 ounces cooked spaghetti, room temperature
2 Tbsp butter, melted
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup large hole grated parmesan cheese
Cheese Layer
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 tsp dried basil or 2 Tbsp chopped fresh
Salt and pepper to taste
Meat Sauce
See note above regarding seasoning.
1 Tbsp EVOO
1 pound ground round or Italian sausage, bulk or removed from casing
3/4 cup diced onion
2 large garlic cloves, smashed and finely chopped
14 ounces fine dice canned tomatoes
1-3/4 cups passata
1/4 cup white or red wine, optional, substitute chicken or vegetable broth
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes or more to taste
3 tsp dried basil
Salt and pepper to taste
Pinch or 2 of sugar if tomatoes are too acidy
Directions
Make the sauce first. Heat a large saucepan over medium high heat, add the oil, swirl to coat, then add your ground meat of choice and brown, breaking up into small pieces as it cooks. When the meat still has a little pink to it, add the onions and stir, reducing heat to medium. When onions are starting to become translucent, add the wine or broth to deglaze the pan. Add the basil and red pepper flakes, stir for a couple of minutes, then add the tomatoes and passata, plus some salt and pepper. I always add a pinch of sugar at this point because we don't like an acidy tasting sauce. Reduce heat to hold a simmer and allow to cook for 20 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings to your taste, then allow to cook for at least 15-20 more minutes. You want a fairly thick sauce. Sauce can be made up to 2 days earlier and refrigerated. Reheat before making the pie.
To make the pie, preheat oven to 350°F.
Cook spaghetti and drain, or slightly warm up leftover spaghetti in the microwave. Toss with butter. Stir in eggs and parmesan cheese. Place spaghetti in a greased deep dish pie plate. Press to form a crust.
Mix ricotta cheese and basil. Place dollops equally around the pie, then spread mixture over spaghetti with the back of a large spoon.
Spread meat and sauce mixture over ricotta cheese layer.
Bake 20-25 minutes. Top with mozzarella and bake about 5 minutes more or until cheese is melted. Cool 5-10 minutes before serving.
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