That's right dear culinary enthusiasts you read right, there doesth thus exist a dish known as the spaghetti pie and it's just as delicious. Very easy to put together on any weekday night, it also has a certain intrigue to it, making it even a great dish to be served to company. My children love their spaghetti and thus welcomed this dish with open arms and hungry bellies. Cheesy and creamy accentuated with a rich tomato and herb infused flavour, with a bite of this spaghetti pie you feel like you are transported to the sunny shores of Italy. Mamma mia!

Ingredients 

12 ounces thin spaghetti noodles
1 pound lean ground beef or meat of choice
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
28 ounce crushed tomatoes
16 ounce can tomato sauce
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1 tub of Kotmale cream

Instructions 

Spread a knob of butter on a deep-dish pie plate.

Cook spaghetti noodles until half cooked, in a large pot of salted water, Drain.

In a large frying pan  cook and crumble the ground beef. I usually make my sauce with beef, but you can add chicken, a firm fish or even extra vegetables. Add the onion, garlic, salt and pepper. Cook until beef is browned.

Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, basil and oregano to beef. Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat to low and let simmer 10 minutes.

To the noodles, add the cream cheese to hot noodles and toss until cream cheese is almost melted. Stir in 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese and 1/2 cup Mozzarella cheese to noodles. Stir in 2 cups of the meat sauce into the noodles.

Pour mixture into the pie plate. Press noodles evenly into the pie plate. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan.

Bake at 350° F. for 18 - 20 minutes, or until hot and bubbly and cheese is melted. Remove from oven, and let stand 10 minutes before slicing. Top each slice with meat sauce. Enjoy!

By Mayuri Jayasinghe