Spaghetti Pie

Today I am going to share a simple and delicious recipe that my mother shared with me. It is extremely adaptable so there are plenty of ways to spice it up if you are looking for something a little more exciting; however, even the most basic version is a crowdpleaser.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. spaghetti (or pasta of choice)
• 1 lb. shredded cheese (I recommend mozzarella, but you can mix in other kinds for added flavor)
• 2 egg whites
• Your favorite pasta sauce! (I used Newman’s Own Marinara)

Instructions:

1. Cook pasta according to the directions on the box.
2. While pasta is cooking, separate egg whites from yolks and beat.
3. Rinse pasta with cold water to cool. (This is very important to prevent the eggs from cooking when they hit the pasta!)
4. In a large mixing bowl, combine cooked spaghetti and egg whites, fully covering all of the spaghetti.
5. In a 9 x 13 baking pan, layer the spaghetti mixture and the cheese, about 1/3 of each at a time. Be sure to fully cover the bottom of the pan with the first layer of spaghetti. (I also recommend spraying some cooking spray in the pan before you start, it makes the serving and cleaning go way more smoothly!)
6. Make that final layer of cheese on top the thickest, to prevent the noodles from getting chewy while baking.
7. Bake at 350° for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown.
8. Serve topped with your favorite marinara or meat sauce and enjoy!

Variations:

• You can choose to use the entire egg or just the egg whites for a healthier version.
• If you want an egg-free dish, my mom uses a flax seed and hot water mixture as a replacement. 1 tablespoon ground flax seed and 3 tablespoons boiling water is equivalent to one egg. Just mix and let stand for about 5 minutes.
• Feel free to add other ingredients into the layers such as cottage cheese, kale, or any of your favorite pasta pairings!