Spaghetti Pie

My "to do" list is getting long. Very long.

I think my husband is getting scared.

Spring always brings out the "doer" in me. I want to just keep doing and doing. All my focus shifts from the house to the yard and garden, oh and yard sales. You do know I'm obsessed with them right?

I can't tell you how many wonderful treasures I found at local yard sales. Yes I said treasures. I say it every time we trek out on a Saturday morning...."oh I wonder what treasures we'll find today?" and I many times I do find them. I'm hoping to find a large piece that I can use for a kitchen island. I'm so OCD that I carry my yard sale wish list with me every Saturday. Here are some of the items I'm on the hunt for:

4 old windows (same size) for cupola
old wood
wooden stools (for risers)
small bed frame (for garden bench)
old silverware
old blue/green mason jars

My dream is to stumble upon an old farmhouse whose owners just want to get rid of it all. Maybe it'll happen someday?? Until then I'll dream and eat spaghetti. This spaghetti in particular.

There is something so very enticing about baked spaghetti to me. I'm a crispy edge lover so maybe it's because the edges get crispy and crunchy. I'm the person always looking for the crunchy end of lasagna too.



I adapted this recipe from several that I had stored in my recipe file. It's the best parts of them all.

Spaghetti Pie
1 lb spaghetti
4 slices bacon, chopped
1 small red onion, finely chopped
1 container (15-ounce) part-skim ricotta cheese
4 large eggs
2 cups milk
1 teaspoon cayenne (ground red) pepper (optional)
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup frozen peas
salt

Preheat oven to 350.

In a large pot of salted water cook spaghetti until al dente.

While the spaghetti is cooking, cook the chopped bacon in a large skillet until crisp, stirring occasionally. Remove with a slotted spoon leaving the bacon grease in the pan. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Add the onion to the bacon grease in the pan. Cook until tender. While the onions cook in another bowl, whisk the ricotta, eggs, milk, cayenne, half of Parmesan, and a pinch of salt.

Drain spaghetti well. Stir into ricotta mixture. Add in the peas, bacon and onion. (no need to defrost the peas). Pour into 3-quart greased shallow baking dish. Sprinkle remaining Parmesan and bake 30 to 35 minutes or until golden.