Let me introduce you to a dish that’s close to my heart – the String Pie. This hearty, comforting pasta pie is a delightful fusion of flavors and textures that never fails to impress. The recipe has a rich history, tracing its roots back to Italian immigrants who, in an attempt to recreate their beloved spaghetti pie, substituted readily available ingredients, leading to the creation of this delicious hybrid. The beauty of this dish lies in its simplicity. With just a handful of ingredients – ground beef, onions, spaghetti sauce, spaghetti, Parmesan cheese, eggs, butter, cottage cheese, and Mozzarella cheese – you can create a mouthwatering meal that’s sure to satisfy. What I love about this dish is its versatility. It’s just as suitable for a casual family dinner as it is for a fancy dinner party. Plus, it’s a great way to use up leftover spaghetti. Another tip I have is to use a high-quality spaghetti sauce – it really makes a difference in the overall flavor of the pie. So, why do I love this dish? Well, it’s hearty, it’s comforting, it’s delicious, and it brings back fond memories of family dinners. Making it is like wrapping myself in a warm, food-filled hug. So come on, let’s get cooking and create some delicious memories of our own!
Ingredients
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 1/2 c. chopped onion
- 1/4 c. chopped green onion
- 1 jar spaghetti sauce
- 8 oz. spaghetti, cooked and drained
- 1/3 c. grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 2 tsp. butter
- 1 c. cottage cheese
- 1/2 c. shredded Mozzarella cheese
Baking Instructions
- Cook beef, onion and green pepper in large skillet over medium-high heat until meat is brown, stirring to separate meat; drain fat.
- Stir in spaghetti sauce, mix well.
- Combine Parmesan cheese, eggs and butter in large bowl; mix well.
- Place in bottom of 13 x 9-inch pan; spread cottage cheese over top.
- Pour sauce mixture over cottage cheese.
- Sprinkle Mozzarella over top.
- Bake in preheated 350° oven until cheese melts, about 20 minutes.
Calorie: 600
Total cooking time: 45 minutes
Difficulty level: Easy
The Mysterious Concoction Known as String Pie
So, there I was in my kitchen, staring at the most eclectic assortment of ingredients imaginable: 1 lb. *ground beef*, half a cup of chopped *onion*, a quarter cup of chopped *green onion*, one jar of *spaghetti sauce*, 8 oz. of cooked and drained *spaghetti*, a third cup of grated *Parmesan cheese*, two beaten *eggs*, two teaspoons of *butter*, one cup of *cottage cheese*, and half a cup of shredded *Mozzarella cheese*. I know, it sounds like I was hosting an episode of “Chopped,” but I was actually preparing to make something called…wait for it…String Pie.
The Initial Skepticism
First off, I had to laugh. I mean, String Pie? I might as well have been making Spaghetti Surprise or Noodle Nonsense. But hey, I was game. I mean, how could I resist the chance to cook something that sounded like a practical joke?
The Meaty Beginning
The first step was to cook the *ground beef*, *onion*, and *green onion* in a large skillet over medium-high heat until the meat was brown. Now, I’ve cooked plenty of beef before, but adding the onions into the mix felt like I was preparing some sort of meaty, oniony birthday cake. I couldn’t help but giggle as I stirred to separate the meat, trying to imagine the look on someone’s face if they were served a slice of that!
The Saucy Twist
Next, I stirred in the *spaghetti sauce*. This is usually the point in a recipe where things start to make sense. But, as I mixed in the sauce, I had a moment of realization. This wasn’t going to be any ordinary dish – it was a culinary plot twist. A spaghetti dish masquerading as a pie. The intrigue!
The Cheesy Underbelly
The next step was to combine the *Parmesan cheese*, *eggs*, and *butter* in a large bowl. Now, I’ve mixed some strange things in my time, but this was like a bizarre breakfast omelet with aspirations of Italian nobility. I placed this weirdly wonderful concoction at the bottom of a 13 x 9-inch pan and spread the *cottage cheese* over the top. At this point, I was half expecting the food to start talking back to me.
The Saucy Encore and the Cheesy Finale
I then poured the sauce mixture over the *cottage cheese* and sprinkled *Mozzarella* over the top. This was like the lasagna’s quirky cousin that everyone talks about in hushed whispers at family gatherings. Into the oven it went, preheated to 350°, and twenty minutes later, the cheese had melted into a bubbling spectacle.
The Verdict
So, what’s the verdict on String Pie? It’s as if spaghetti and lasagna had a secret love child that they sent to live with Aunt Pie. It’s quirky, it’s unexpected, and it’s absolutely delicious. Just remember, when you’re diving into this culinary oddball, to keep your sense of humor about you. After all, cooking should be as much about the laughs as it is about the food!
