SERVES 8 TO 10
When we were 19, my best friend Camille and I traveled through New Zealand’s North and South Islands. It didn’t take long before we became completely obsessed with a local specialty that seemed to be offered at every roadside diner along the way: spaghetti sandwiches! These grilled cheese–pasta mash-ups are toasted delights, packed with oozy, melted cheese and tangy, tomato-sauced noodles. While we might consider them a double-carb disaster today, in our college years they were a heavenly snack. The memory of those decadent sandwiches still makes me giggle, so I came up with this spin, the mere mention of which always elicits joy. Spaghetti pie is a big affair, impressive in both stature and ingredients, and meant to serve a hungry crowd. You don’t have to wait for your next party to make it, though. If you don’t have enough eaters to tackle it, there’s a bonus: Slices of the savory pie may make the best leftovers of all time.
Unsalted butter for greasing the pan
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
¾ pound broccoli or broccoli rabe, trimmed, stems and florets chopped into ¼-inch pieces (about 2½ cups)
1 pound hot or sweet Italian sausage, removed from casings
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, drained, tomatoes crushed by hand
Kosher salt
1 pound dried spaghetti
¾ cup whole milk
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
2½ cups (8 ounces) grated sharp yellow cheddar cheese
2½ cups (8 ounces) grated fontina cheese
1½ cups (3 ounces) freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage
Special equipment: 9½-inch springform pan
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Heat the oven to 425ºF. Butter a 9½-inch springform pan. Tightly wrap the bottom of the pan with a large sheet of foil, crimping the foil against the outer edges to tightly seal.
In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the broccoli and 1 tablespoon water and cook until the broccoli is crisp-tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the sausage and cook, breaking the meat into small bits, until cooked through, about 6 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook 1 minute, then add the crushed drained tomatoes and ¼ teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally and scraping any bits from the pan, until the liquid is mostly evaporated, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Add salt to the boiling water and cook the spaghetti just until very al dente, 7 to 8 minutes (look for a white spot in the center when you bite into a strand). Drain the pasta (do not rinse) and reserve the pot.
In the pasta pot, whisk together the milk, eggs, pepper, and ¾ teaspoon salt. Stir in the cheddar, fontina, and 1 cup of the Parmesan. Add the sausage mixture and spaghetti; stir until well combined.
Transfer the pasta mixture to the prepared pan. Using a spatula, smooth the top. Set the pan on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until the edges are golden and bubbling, about 35 minutes.
Remove the pan from the oven. Turn on the broiler. Sprinkle the pie with the sage and remaining ½ cup Parmesan. Broil 4 to 5 inches from the heat until the cheese is golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the oven and run a knife around the inside of the pan. Let the pie rest about 10 minutes then release and remove the sides of the pan. Cut the pie into slices and serve warm.