Friendship Spaghetti Pie

This Friendship Spaghetti Pie recipe makes two delicious pies, perfect for sharing with friends or family, or for freezing one for later. A buttery spaghetti crust cradles a flavorful meat sauce and a creamy ricotta cheese filling, all topped with melted mozzarella.

Friendship Spaghetti Pie

Ingredients:

Instructions:

1. Cook Spaghetti: In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the spaghetti according to the package directions until al dente. Drain the spaghetti well and immediately stir in the butter until it is melted and the spaghetti is coated. Set aside.
2. Brown Ground Beef: While the spaghetti is cooking, brown the lean ground beef and diced yellow onion in a large skillet over medium-high heat until the beef is cooked through and the onion is tender. Drain off any excess fat from the skillet, if needed.
3. Add Marinara Sauce: Stir the entire jar of marinara sauce into the skillet with the cooked ground beef and onion. Remove the skillet from the heat.
4. Prepare Spaghetti Base: In a large bowl, whisk the beaten eggs and grated Parmesan cheese together. Add the drained and buttered spaghetti to the egg mixture and season with kosher salt to taste. Stir well to combine.
5. Assemble Spaghetti Crusts: Divide the spaghetti mixture evenly between the two 9-inch aluminum pie pans. Press the spaghetti down and up the sides of each pie pan to create a crust. Set aside.
6. Prepare Ricotta Filling: In a medium bowl, stir together the ricotta cheese, minced garlic, and dried basil. Season with a pinch of salt to taste.
7. Layer Ricotta Filling: Dollop the ricotta cheese mixture evenly over the spaghetti crust in both pie pans. Use a spoon or spatula to smooth out the ricotta layer.
8. Add Meat Sauce and Mozzarella: Top each pie pan with half of the prepared meat sauce, spreading it evenly over the ricotta layer. Sprinkle half of the grated mozzarella cheese over the meat sauce in each pie pan.
9. Freeze (Optional): If you want to freeze one or both pies for later, cover each pie pan tightly with plastic wrap, then wrap it again with aluminum foil. Freeze until solid.
10. Bake: If you are ready to bake the pies immediately, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake the spaghetti pies for 25 minutes, or until they are bubbly and the mozzarella cheese has melted and is lightly golden brown. If you are baking a frozen pie, increase the baking time to approximately 45 minutes, or until heated through and bubbly.
11. Cool and Serve: Let the baked Friendship Spaghetti Pies cool slightly before slicing and serving. Enjoy this hearty and shareable dish!