Italian Spaghetti Pie with Chicken Ricotta Cheese Meatballs Recipe
This Spaghetti Pie with Chicken RicottaMeatballs reinvents the classic spaghetti and meatballs! It features, spaghetti crust, perfectly seasoned ground chicken and ricotta meatballs, a luscious ricotta pesto cheese layer anda no-fuss sauce.
Servings: 3 servings
Ingredients
Sauce Ingredients or 1 jar of store-bought marinara sauce
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 5 garlic cloves , sliced thin
- 28- ounce can of crushed tomatoes
- 15- ounce can of tomato sauce
- ½ teaspoon balsamic vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- Pinch of sugar
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ¼ teaspoon table salt
- 1 cup red wine such as a full-bodied cabernet sauvignon
Meat ball Ingredients
- ½ cup white onion , chopped
- 1 garlic clove , minced
- ¼ cup fresh oregano leaves , chopped plus extra to serve
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- ¾ lb. ground chicken
- 4.5 ounces ricotta cheese , about ⅔ cup
- Salt and pepper
- 2 ounces Parmesan cheese , grated (do you want to say how finely grated?)
- 1 egg
- ⅓ cup parsley
Spaghetti Crust
- 4 ounces spaghetti
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Cheese Layer
- ¼ to ⅓ cup ricotta cheese
- 1 tablespoon basil pesto
Finishing Touches:
- ⅓ cup shredded fontina cheese (optional)
Instructions
Prep and Cook Pasta
- Cook spaghetti in salted water until al dente (about 10 minutes). Drain, toss with butter, then mix in one beaten egg and Parmesan cheese.
- Press the spaghetti mixture into a 6-inch cake pan or an 8-inch oven-safe skillet to form a crust.
Make the Sauce or use a jarred sauce.
- Heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and cook until fragrant (1 minute).
- Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, balsamic vinegar, oregano, sugar, red pepper flakes, salt, and wine. Simmer for 5 minutes. Cover and keep warm.
Prepare the Meatballs
- Combine onion, garlic, oregano, ground chicken, breadcrumbs, ricotta, Parmesan, egg, parsley, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Mix with your hands until well combined and tacky.
- Shape into 10-12 meatballs. Tip: When forming the meatballs, keep a small bowl of water nearby and wet your palms periodically to prevent the meat from sticking to your hands.
Assemble the Pie
- Whisk together ¼ to ⅓ cup ricotta cheese with basil pesto, in a small bowl. Spread ricotta cheese mixture over the spaghetti crust.
- Pour half of the sauce over the ricotta layer, add meatballs, and top with the remaining sauce.
Bake
- Bake at 400°F for 50 minutes. Top with Fontina cheese and bake an additional 5 minutes until melted. Cool for 10 minutes before serving. If using frozen meatballs, bake an additional 10-15 minutes, ensuring an internal temperature of 160°F.