When the moon hits your eye....

Like a big 'skeddie' pie....that's AMORE! (I know the song says 'pizza pie' but I think it still works!) And we loved this!

You got your garlic bread....you can make it thin, or tall. Fresh or from leftovers. You can use ground beef, turkey or sausage. You can add peppers or even pepperoni! Possibilities are endless.

If you are one of those families who ALWAYS have spaghetti leftover...this is for YOU.

If you are one of those families who is looking for a way to jazz up your spaghetti for it's become ho-hum....this is for YOU.

If you don't like spaghetti, then move on FREAK. LOL just kidding you can use any type of noodle or sauce. Any variation can work here.


Let's get cooking:

Baked Spaghetti Pie
adapted from Picky Palate

1 lb of noodles

2 Tbsp of olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 lb ground beef, turkey or sausage
1/2 tsp. salt
pepper to taste (I am heavy on it)
30 oz whole peeled tomatoes, chopped (you can use jarred sauce I use them only in emergencies)
10 fresh basil leaves, stacked, rolled and thinly sliced into ribbons
1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan
1 cup shredded cheddar or mozzarella (I used the FF cheddar)

2 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp. garlic salt
1 roll Pillsbury French Bread Loaf (I used thawed pizza dough I bought @ Trader Joe's)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook pasta according to package directions, BUT stop just a few minutes before the package says....drain and set aside.

Heat oil in large skilled over medium heat. Saute onions for 5 minutes, then your meat of choice, salt, pepper and minced garlic. Cook until no longer pink. Reduce heat to low then stir in chopped canned tomatoes. Add back par-cooked pasta and add basil. Cook until pasta has absorbed much of the liquid. Turn off heat until dough is ready.

While pasta is cooking, take half of your dough of choice and press into the bottom of a well greased springform pan (mine is nonstick) and pressing up the sides just slightly. Bake for 10 minutes then remove from oven.

Take shredded cheeses (save about handful) and mix through the pasta and transfer it onto your prebaked dough in the springform pan. Pack down your pasta and sprinkle with your remaining handful of cheese. Roll out your other half of dough and press on top of pasta pie. Brush dough with olive oil and sprinkle with garlic salt.

Bake for 25 minutes or until dough is cooked or slightly brown. Let cool for 10 minutes for the cheese inside to 'set' before slicing.

Serve with green salad...drizzle a little a extra sauce....

Cooks Notes:

• It doesn't really matter what size springform pan you use....You pie will either be taller or wider. They both will taste the same. Jenny from picky palate said to not use all the spaghetti and to use it for something else. I just didn't use a full box of pasta (I used angel hair) and I put it all in the pan. It just didn't make sense to have leftover spaghetti pie AND leftover spaghetti....nope nuh-uh ain't happenin'.
• When my beef was cooking....I didn't want to dirty another pan for the pasta. Ugh, something else to wash? So when I broke up my tomatoes I broke up my angel hair into and eyeballed some chicken broth in it. Angel hair doesn't take long to cook nor need that much liquid to absorb...when it was close I added the basil and beef back.
• Also, the original recipe said to put cheese on top....I wanted it throughout to help hold it altogether. Then top with less cheese so the bread would stick.
• We really loved the chunks of tomato in these. You don't see much of the basil....but I didn't want to overpower the pie.....I think it could have been doubled next time.
• I really think chopped pepperoni or hot italian sausage would be awesome in this too....that is my next variation.
  

K-man's eyes popped out when he saw this....he is one of those who takes his bread and makes a spaghetti sandwich during dinner.....he found this very amusing yet I am sure he was wishing for a sub roll to slip his slice in! LOL