Italian Meats and Poultry Recipes - Spaghetti Pie

Ingredients

• 4 ounces dried spaghetti

• 1 tablespoon butter or margarine

• 1 beaten egg

• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

• 8 ounces ground beef

• 1 medium onion, chopped

• 1 small green sweet pepper, chopped

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed

• 8-ounce can tomato sauce

• 1 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed

• Nonstick cooking spray

• 1 cup cottage cheese, drained

• 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (2 ounces)

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Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Cook spaghetti according to package directions. Drain well. Return spaghetti to hot pan. Stir butter into hot pasta until melted. Stir in egg and Parmesan cheese; set aside.

2. Meanwhile, in a medium skillet cook ground beef, onion, sweet pepper, garlic, and fennel seeds until meat is brown and onion is tender. Drain off fat. Stir tomato sauce and oregano into beef mixture in skillet; heat through.

3. Coat a 9-inch pie plate with nonstick cooking spray. Press spaghetti mixture onto bottom and up side of pie plate to form a crust.

4. Spread cottage cheese on the crust, spreading it up the side. Spread meat mixture over cottage cheese. Sprinkle with shredded mozzarella cheese.

5. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until bubbly and heated through. To serve, cut into wedges.