Child Friendly and a Quick Family Midweek Meal…….
Spaghetti Bolognese Pie
It’s midweek, well okay it’s Thursday, and you have run out of ideas of what to put on the table for a hot, tasty family meal that will appeal to the children as well as the adults ~ you fancy pasta and Spag Bol is always high on the list but you crave something slightly different……how about a pie? Not with pastry, but made with spaghetti, it tastes wonderful and the kids will love the novelty aspect of it. Serve with a side salad and home-made bread for a simple family meal……problem solved.
Whilst the spaghetti is cooking you can be making the Bolognese sauce and then it’s all ready to pop into a preheated oven for 20 minutes ~ from start to finish this dish will take under an hour to prepare and cook. You can also make it to the pie stage, then cover it and keep it in the fridge until you want to bake it. It’s pretty much a fail safe recipe and one that my daughter and husband love. This recipe serves 2 adults and 3 children or 4 adults, and the fast track Bolognese sauce helps to get you all around the supper table in super-fast time.
I hope this pie recipe helps out with the weekly menu planning, it certainly helped me out tonight after a busy and fraught day ~ I have been up to my ears in fruit and veg, in a last ditch attempt to preserve, cook and store our Autumn harvest. I will be back tomorrow with more tales from the still room and jam factory, plus I have some baking to share with you over the weekend, just for a change of pace.
Karen
Spaghetti Bolognese PieIngredients:
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 500g lean minced beef
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed
- 400g can chopped tomatoes
- 450g jar or carton tomato passata
- good pinch of dried oregano, to taste
- 400g spaghetti
- 1 egg, beaten
- 25g butter
- 100g grated mozzarella cheese
- salt and pepper, to taste
- grated Parmesan cheese, to serve
Method:Preheat oven to 180C.
Heat a wok or large, deep frying pan with the olive oil. Crumble the beef into the pan and stir-fry over a high heat for 2 minutes to break up the meat and brown it.
Add the onion, carrot and garlic. Stir over a medium heat for 1 minute, then add the chopped tomatoes and the passata. Stir well, then add the oregano and seasoning. Cook over a medium heat so that the sauce boils gently, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes or until thick.
While the sauce is cooking, cook the spaghetti in a pan of salted boiling water for 10 minutes, or according to the pack instructions, until tender with a bite at the centre. Drain and allow to cool before adding the butter and the beaten egg, mix well and then season with salt and pepper; put the cooked spaghetti into a 27cm greased pie dish, using a spoon to form a pie crust shell and bringing it right up the sides just as if it was a pastry case.
Pour the Bolognese sauce over the spaghetti and then cover with the grated mozzarella cheese before baking for 20 to 25 minutes until cheese has melted and is golden brown.
Serve cut into wedges/slice with Parmesan cheese, large mixed salad and bread.
What a great idea, an alternative to lasagne! Looks delicious.
A really interesting way to present this classic! I shall try this out and maybe even make mini ones for my little one x
This is something I make quite often. My children always loved it. Yours looks great!
Now that looks like something my children would love.Anything in a pie dish is a hit in our house!
I can't turn my back on you for a moment … I disappear for a day or two and you produce all this lovely food ;D That salad looks delicious, ditto the jelly, and this is the perfect easy meal … keep 'em coming Karen, and thank you 😀
It looks great! Love the idea of slicing:)
Thank you Karen~
I love the idea of a pasta pie. Like a lasagna but with none of the faffing of layers
Thanks Jude, yes and much easier to assemble than lasagne!
Working London Mummy ~ that would be great ~ make them in muffin tins!
Thanks Marie ~ Hannah LOVES this as does Malcolm too.
Same here Laura, if it has PIE in the title, it is a BIG hit!
Sorry Annie ~I have been suffering from insomnia lately and turn to my laptop! LOL!
Thanks Monique ~ a slice of pasta pie!
Thanks Urvashi ~ exactly, just as nice as lasagne and no faffing with layers!
oh GOD yes!… this is genius food my dear… I love it… perfect perfect comfort food… and so easy… and so tasty, i'm doing this next time I make a pasta dish, thanks for the inspiration!
Thanks Dom ~ it is pretty simple recipe but has lots of fans in my house!
Looks yum and easy to do, best combination for a reciepe me thinks 🙂
This looks fantatstic. I'd love if you would share it on my blog link up, Weekend Wonders, this weekend.
Hello The Mum of all trades! I will be delighted to share it on your blog this weekend! Lovely to meet you too.
Karen
Thanks Butterflyexperience! It is an easy recipe.
Karen
That just looks amazing… I love making dishes like these which are perfect for a simple supper, especially when the weather is grey and I look for some warm comforting food.
Love your pictures too!
I am ScatCat from MN by the way 🙂