Spaghetti Pie
This is real comfort food. I double the recipe and make it in a 13x9 pan. It is always a hit.
This is real comfort food. I double the recipe and make it in a 13x9 pan. It is always a hit.
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 6 ounces spaghetti
- 6 ounces tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 cup onion chopped
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 cup ricotta
- 2 egg beaten
- 1/3 cup parmesan cheese
- 1 pound ground beef top round
- 1/4 cup red and yellow bell pepper
- 1 8 ounce tomato diced
- 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese
- Carbohydrate 32.8520949966673 g
- Cholesterol 163.580375 mg
- Fat 25.9295470833333 g
- Fiber 2.41614165095488 g
- Protein 33.5768670833333 g
- Saturated Fat 12.8132989166667 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (241g)
- Sodium 425.779166666667 mg
- Sugar 30.4359533457124 g
- Trans Fat 2.81851641666667 g
- Calories 500 calories
Step-by-step
- Cook spaghetti and drain (about 3-4 cups).
- Stir butter into hot spaghetti.
- Stir butter into hot spaghetti.
- Stir in beaten eggs and Parmesan cheese.
- Form into a crust in a 10 inch pie plate or corning ware dish.
- Spread ricotta over pasta.
- In skillet, brown beef with onion and red pepper.
- Drain fat.
- Stir in diced tomato, tomato paste, sugar, oregano and garlic.
- Pour meat over spaghetti crust.
- Bake uncovered for 20 - 25 minutes in 350 degree oven.
- Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.
- Bake an additional 5 minutes until cheese melts.
A slice of baked pasta yields distinct textures: a crisp exterior edge of toasted parmesan, a dense noodle crust that holds its shape under a slice, and a bubbling top layer of melted mozzarella. Constructing this architecture requires managing moisture migration across distinct layers.
Stirring butter, beaten eggs, and parmesan directly into the hot drained spaghetti creates a thermal binder. The residual heat coagulates the egg proteins immediately, cementing the strands into a solid crust rather than a loose tangle. Without this binding step, the noodles absorb moisture from the ricotta and meat sauce during baking, resulting in a collapsing slice.
Freezing this casserole works best before the final bake. Assemble the dish in a oven-safe glass or ceramic dish up to the point of baking, wrap tightly in plastic wrap followed by aluminum foil, and store for up to three months. Thaw completely in the refrigerator for 24 hours before removing the plastic and baking at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes, adding the final mozzarella layer during the last five minutes of cooking.
Adapting the components for dietary needs is straightforward. Gluten-free brown rice pasta substitutes directly ounce-for-ounce for the wheat spaghetti, though these noodles require rinsing in warm water immediately after draining to remove excess surface starch that can make the crust gummy.
