Spaghetti Pie

I got the original recipe for Spaghetti Pie while I was in Peru, of all places. Greg and I went on a mission trip with a group from our church. While the men went further down river, into the jungle, the women stayed at the mission compound. We helped Addie (the missionary) with different things but we also had a bit of downtime. Downtime is spent differently when you don't have any electricity! I love to look through cookbooks and Addie had several, so I killed time by searching through her cookbooks for recipes that I'd like to try. I still have them all, 14 years later, written on the same yellow legal pad paper that I originally used. It has all sorts of drips and stains on it because I am a messy cook! I've made most of the recipes that I wrote down while in Peru and some, like this, have become family favorites.

I call this spaghetti pie because that's what it was called in the recipe book that I copied it from. However, over the years I tried different pastas and decided that I liked the texture of gemelli pasta best. Sometimes it's hard to find, but Kroger carries it in their "Private Selection" line. It reminds me of the twisted pretzel sticks...only pasta. I like it because it's size and texture work well. It's large enough to hold it's shape, but still can be cut down. And it's firm enough to hold up to freezing, thawing and cooking without getting mushy. The basic ingredients and taste of Spaghetti (or should I change it to Gemelli?) Pie are just like lasagna. However, it's WAY easier to put together than lasagna is. Those big old noodles are nothing but a pain in the butt, right? And I like how the flavors blend better in this. One of my favorite things about this recipe is that it freezes so well. And it's very easy to make a double batch, then split those batches into smaller portions (what family eats an entire 9x13 pan of lasagna in one sitting, right?) and

freeze them for later. The basic recipe makes at least a 9x13 pan and probably a little extra. I split it into 6 8x8 foil pans, which usually feeds our family of 5 without any leftovers. I add garlic bread and a salad to complete the meal. Without further ado, the recipe...

Spaghetti Pie

(as with most of my recipes, the amounts can vary without ruining the end product - make adjustments to your taste - more or less meat, sauce, cheese, spice, etc.)

1 1lb package Gemelli or Spaghetti or other pasta

1 lb Hamburger (or 1 portion HH)

1 jar Pasta Sauce (I like Kroger Beef - tastes good and is cheap)

2 small containers of cottage cheese

3 cups (or more) shredded mozzarella cheese

1 cup Parmesan cheese

3 eggs

4 TBSP butter

Cook pasta according to package directions, to just barely done (if you overcook the pasta then by the time it freezes, thaws, cooks, etc. it will be very mushy = yuck!). Drain and allow to cool slightly. Add 1/2 stick (4 TBSP) butter, 2 eggs and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese to pasta. Stir to combine.

Brown hamburger and drain. While cooking add onion, garlic, salt, pepper, etc if desired for extra flavor.

or

Thaw Handy Hamburger.

Add pasta sauce to hamburger and warm slightly. This is where you fancy people could make your own sauce. I tried it last year from fresh tomatoes and it turned out not so great. I used it up in recipes like this where I could add some jarred sauce and a bunch more flavor to cover up my sauce. Big waste of time in my opinion. But if homemade sauce is your thing, then go for it!

Combine cottage cheese, mozzarella cheese and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (save a small amount of mozzarella and parmesan for top) and 1 egg in bowl. If you like, add spices to this mixture like salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, italian blend, parsley, etc. I've made it with and without the extra spices - both are good, but I prefer the extra flavor.

Assemble in the following order:

Sauce - just to cover bottom

1/2 Noodles

1/2 Cheese

1/2 Sauce

1/2 Noodles

1/2 Cheese

1/2 Sauce

Extra Mozzarella and Parmesan

Here's what it looks like after one layer of everything.

Unlike lasagna, the whole thing should be more mixed than layers. If any of the layers are thick enough that they separate the ingredients from each other, then before topping with the last of the cheese, use a spoon to move everything around so that the sauce, cheese and noodles are mixed somewhat evenly.

Bake in a 350 oven for 45-60 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Allow to sit for 10 minutes before cutting.

NOTE: If you make smaller batches in 8x8 pans, they will cook faster. Just keep checking to see that the edges are very bubbly and the center is somewhat bubbly. The main thing is to make sure the egg cooks and sets. Everything else is precooked and just needs to be hot and melty.

Here are all 6 of mine completed. One is in the oven as I type. The other 5 I topped first with plastic wrap and then with foil and put in the freezer for later.

What a nice little pile - 1 for dinner, 5 for later!

And the best part - only ONE set of dishes to wash for SIX meals!!!