As good Italian Catholics, Friday night was fish night, but my father always insisted on having spaghetti too. Again, no meat, so my mother cooked it with marinara sauce. Saturday dinners were usually catch as catch can. One Saturday, with the leftover spaghetti my Mom added a few ingredients and the spaghetti pie was born. Necessity is indeed the mother of invention!
MAMA ROSE’S SPAGHETTI PIE
Serves: 4-6 (depending on additional dishes served with it)
INGREDIENTS:
2-Full cups leftover cooked spaghetti with marinara sauce – your own or store-bought sauce*
5-Eggs
1/4-Cup grated cheese (parm, asiago, pecorino-romano – your choice)
1/4-Cup fresh parsley chopped
Salt & Pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS:
In a large bowl, beat the eggs with the cheese, parsley, salt & pepper. Add the spaghetti and mix well. The consistency should be like an omelet.
Pour into a 10 or 12” greased skillet. Fry over low to medium heat until the bottom is browned. Flip onto a dinner-sized plate (browned size down) and slide back into the pan to cook the other side until done.** Or – put in a lightly greased pie pan, or place your skillet in the oven, and bake at 350 for about ½ to ¾ hrs. until done.
*The spaghetti should only be coated with the sauce.
** While the first side is cooking, use your spatula to ease under the pie to make sure it is not sticking. After you slide it into the skillet the second time, do the same thing. You want it to easily slide out and onto a dinner plate.
This can be used as a side dish or entrée.
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