As I described this dish of deliciousness to friends and family, they seemed to respond similarly:
“Don’t you already have a dish just like that?”
Well, sort of – but not really.
The recipe to which they are all referring to is the famous New York Spaghetti Pie.
I’ve NEVER EVER met a soul of the face of the earth who does not adore this favorite of mine.
And, I believe this is another recipe that falls into that category of edible adoration: Spaghetti Meatloaf.
Imagine your two favorite comfort foods: spaghetti and meatloaf, combined into the same meal, oozing with mozzarella cheese.
Yep. You got it. The Italian style meatloaf encases the sauced noodles. O.M.G!!!
Spaghetti Meatloaf
1 lb. spaghetti noodles
8 oz. mozzarella cheese, sliced
16 oz. spicy marinara sauce, reserving about 1/4 cup
1 lb. ground beef
1 lb. Italian sausage
sea salt and pepper
1 Tbs. fresh Italian herbs (rosemary, basil, oregano, etc.)
1 tsp. Italian herb seasoning
1 large egg
3 oz. fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced
Bring a large pot of water to a rapid boil.
Add the noodles and cook until al dente.
Drain.
Add all but 1/4 cup of the sauce and mix well.
Allow to sit and cool for about 30-45 minutes.
Line a medium sized loaf pan with plastic wrap.
Transfer half of the noodles to the pan.
Top with the sliced cheese.
Top with the remaining noodles.
Wrap tightly and freeze for several hours.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
In a large bowl, combine the meats, seasonings, and egg.
Mix well.
Flatten into a large rectangle with a rolling pin between two sheets of parchment paper, forming a “sheet of meat.”
Remove the frozen spaghetti loaf from the freezer and plastic wrap, placing in the middle of the meat “sheet.”
Wrap the meat around the frozen noodle loaf, closing all edges and sides.
Transfer to a parchment lined LARGE loaf pan.
Top with the remaining sauce and bake for 30 minutes.
Remove from the oven and increase the oven temperature to 425 degrees.
Top with the sliced fresh mozzarella and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes, until the cheese is bubbly.
Remove from the oven and cool to set before slicing into comfort food heaven!
