Spaghetti Pie

Spaghetti Pie

This recipe by Adam Richman was recently featured on The Today Show.

A delicious baked pasta dish that can be made ahead and baked the next day. I added green pepper and italian herb seasoning for extra flavor.

Spaghetti Pie 

12 ounces spaghetti pasta noodles
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
1 pound ground turkey or sirloin beef
1 cup tomato paste
3 large eggs
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 and 1⁄2 cups shredded mozzarella
1-2 tablespoons grape seed or olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup diced green pepper (optional)
1/2 teaspoon Italian herb seasoning (optional)

Preheat oven to 350.
Cook spaghetti following package instructions. Reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking water. Drain pasta and set aside.

Add 1 tablespoon of grape seed or olive oil to a large skillet. Sauté onion and green pepper over medium heat until soft. Add ground turkey or beef and cook until no longer pink. Add 3/4 cup tomato paste, pasta water and italian seasoning. Simmer over low heat until sauce thickens. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Mix spaghetti, eggs, parmesan, 1 cup mozzarella and remaining 1/4 cup of tomato paste in a large bowl.

Spray a 9 inch pie plate with Pam or coat with olive oil. Spread 1/2 of the meat sauce in the bottom of the pie plate. Add spaghetti mixture, pressing down. Spread remaining sauce on top then sprinkle with 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and let sit about 10 minutes. Use a sharp knife to slice into wedges. Top wit additional grated parmesan, if desired. Serve with a green salad and hot crusty bread. Serves 6.

Spaghetti pie 2

Baked Pasta with Sausage, Tomatoes and Cheese

Pasta with sausage

This is a recipe I saved from Cooking Light magazine years ago and it’s still one of my favorite baked pastas. I love dishes you can prepare a day ahead and bake the next day. I’ve made it with both sweet and spicy sausage and it’s great either way.

Baked Pasta with Sausage, Tomatoes and Cheese
December 2007 Cooking Light

1 (1 pound) package uncooked ziti or rigatoni
1 pound hot or sweet turkey Italian sausage links; your preference
1 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves minced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 (14.5 ounce) cans petite-diced tomatoes, undrained
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
Cooking spray
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 1/2 cups grated fresh Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Cook pasta according to package directions, drain and set aside.

Start by removing the casings from sausage. Cook the sausage with the onion and garlic in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Stir sausage to crumble and cook until browned. Next, add tomatoes, tomato paste, salt, black pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes to let flavors meld, stirring occasionally.

Add half the mixture in the casserole dish and top with half of the cheese. Repeat. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes or until bubbly. Recipe makes 8 1-1/2 cup servings.

Brenda’s notes: This recipe can be cut in half to serve 4. If you do not have fresh basil, you can substitute 1/2 teaspoon dried basil or italian herb blend. Don’t like opening a can of tomato paste just to use one tablespoon? Look for tomato paste in a tube, use what you need and store in the refrigerator.