Spaghetti Squash Pie

By blum099

. 45 mins.
Cook time
40 mins.
Total time
2 hrs. 25 mins.

You don't need to do your ingredient prep before starting the recipe--it's all included in the instructions, to be done while the squash cooks.
By: Tessa
Dish Type: Lunch,Dinner
Cuisine: Comfort Food, Gluten Free, Vegetarian
Makes: 4 servings

Ingredients

• One 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 lb. spaghetti squash
• 1 T olive oil
• 1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped small
• 1 medium zucchini
• 1 1/2 oz. block of parmesan cheese
• 1/2 lb. fontina or mozzarella cheese
• 3 C very chunky marinara sauce (I use my mushroom marinara recipe)
• 1 C ricotta cheese (half of a 15 oz. pkg.)
• 2 large eggs
• 1 t Kosher salt
• 1/2 t ground black pepp

Details

Adapted from naturalcomfortkitchen.com

Preparation

Step 1

Make It
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut squash crosswise into four equally thick rounds and place on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt (no oil) and bake for an hour, flipping over halfway through.
While the squash cooks: 1) In a skillet, heat a teaspoon of olive oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add onions and cook for 7 to 10 minutes, until browned. Set aside in a dish to cool. 2) Slice zucchini thinly, with slices just under ¼”. Lay on a clean kitchen towel or two layers of paper towels to absorb excess moisture. 3) Finely grate the parmesan. 4) Shred the fontina or mozzarella. 5) Optional: let the sauce drain in a fine mesh strainer, stirring a few times, to remove excess water. This will create a firmer pie, even hot out of the oven.
Cool squash rounds on a cutting board and lightly oil the baking tray (with olive oil spray, if you have some). Turn oven up to 475. Lay the zucchini slices on the tray and cook in bottom third of oven for 13 minutes, turning slices (carefully, they may stick slightly) halfway through. Remove slices to a dish to cool. Reduce oven temp to 375.
Use a fork to shred the squash into spaghetti noodles by gently running it around the inside circumference of the rounds. Place “noodles” in a colander in the sink, cover with a clean, dry dish towel, and press down to squeeze out excess moisture. Refold the towel a few times, “fluffing” the squash each time with tongs.
Place spaghetti squash flesh in a medium bowl. Add ricotta, cooked onions, eggs, half the grated parmesan, a teaspoon of salt (or more, depending on the saltiness of the sauce), and a quarter teaspoon pepper. Stir until well incorporated.
Spread 2 teaspoons olive oil in the bottom of a 9 inch, pie plate (glass if you have it). Spread squash mixture evenly in pan. Lay zucchini over squash mixture in a single layer, then spread an even layer of sauce over the zucchini (you should be right around the top of a glass pie plate by now). Sprinkle with all the shredded cheese, then a pinch of black pepper, and finally the remaining parmesan.
Place pie plate on the baking sheet (so it doesn’t create smoke when it bubbles over a bit) and bake in the top third of a 375 degree oven for 30 minutes, until bubbly. Increase heat to 425 for another 10 minutes to brown the cheese, if you like.
Rest pie for at least 10 minutes before serving. Eating it fresh out of the oven, it won’t be super firm in structure, but after chilling and eating as leftovers, it should have a much firmer consistency.
Notes
Since spaghetti squash is not as filling as traditional pasta, a serving size is a full quarter of the pie. If you serve with a salad or other side, it may serve six as a lighter entrée.