Spaghetti Pie

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350˚F (180˚C).
• Wrap pasta in a clean dish towel and fold twice, breaking pasta into smaller 1-3 inch (2½ - 7½ cm) pieces.
• Cook until al dente (about 3 minutes) and drain well.
• In medium-sized bowl, mix warm cooked pasta with garlic, butter, grated parmesan, egg, and bread crumbs. Still until well incorporated and the butter and cheese have completely melted.
• Press pasta mixture into a deep 10-inch (25-cm) pie plate or casserole dish. Top with bread crumbs.
• Bake 15-20 minutes, until crust is set and edges have started to brown
• Heat oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Add onions and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Add in ground beef and cook until lightly browned. Using a spoon, drain off any excess fat that accumulates in the pan.
• Stir in tomato sauce, tomato paste, and sugar. Simmer until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and mix in basil. Season with salt and pepper.
• In a small bowl, mix together ricotta, egg, and oregano.
• Spread ricotta mixture over the cooked pasta crust. Spread the meat sauce over the top of the ricotta mixture then cover with mozzarella. Bake at 350˚F (180˚C) for 25 minutes or until golden brown on top.
• Let cool for 15-20 minutes before serving.
• Fancy-Pants Parmesan Crisps (optional for garnish): Pour a tablespoon of parmesan cheese onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 400˚F (200˚C) until cheese has melted and become golden and crisp, about 5 minutes. Let cool before removing from parchment paper.
• Enjoy!