Cheesy Bucatini Pie with Mini Meatballs.
Oh hello! I made you a pie. A pie of pasta. Can we still be friends?
Just trust me on this one.
I know you’re wondering who I am and where the pasta-hating Jessica went.
I’ll admit, I was skeptical.
Eddie was skeptical.
Max was probably skeptical but just happy I wasn’t putting something green on his high chair tray.
Something weird and wacky is happening, and it’s not only that I’ve committed to kale salad every single day of the month of December. It’s that I’ve also apparently committed to LIKING tomato sauce based dishes, things of the Italian foods variety (which, if you’ve been following along, you know that is my very least favorite cuisine) and actually wanting to make dishes like this for dinner more than once per week.
WHAAAAAT is happening.
My grandma told me once when I was pretty young (maybe around eight years old?) and coincidentally complaining about not liking spaghetti, that your taste buds can change over time. And I’ve obviously seen that happen with things like brussels sprouts and the aforementioned kale salad, but I reeeeeally never thought it was happen with tomato sauce.
Whoa whoa. Let’s take a timeout to talk about this almost burnt cheesy outside crust.
I’m swooning, doubletime.
If only because I was the one to always eat the burnt, bubbly cheese off of the Stouffer’s mac and cheese the moment it came out of the oven when I was a kid. Burning the heck out of my mouth, but it was worth it.
Please tell me you experienced this delicacy in the 80s or 90s? Dreamboat on the sea of cheese sauce.
In other news, I’m pretty sure that Eddie wants to divorce me because I can’t stop walking around the house singing the entire Pentatonix Christmas album. Except I totally suck at singing it, I can’t do any of the cool voice things they do, and better yet, I don’t even know the words so I just mosey on by him belting out the same line a few (hundred) times or I attempt to emulate their voices by making noises that can only be described as anything BUT singing.
It’s becoming a severe problem and I can’t stop.
In fact, on Friday night I was tossing and turning in bed because I had “Just For Now” spinning in my brain over and over and over again and I couldn’t get it out. The music (that I didn’t necessarily care for at first) is absolutely addictive and most songs give you a major ear worm.
Best for me.
Worst for Eddie.
He’ll get over it.
But back to pasta pie.
This sauce is based on that incredible version with crushed tomatoes by Marcella Hazan and it has… wait for it… brown butter.
Did you just roll your eyes? Am I bastardizing the tomato sauce that is delicious by itself ?In my defense, the sauce calls for a few tablespoons of butter, SO.
I just browned it first.
And if I’m really being honest, my big major huge imperative life or death question right here is HOW COULD YOU NOT. It’s basically common sense.
I’ve seen a pie like this for a few years now, namely in some of my favorite foodie magazines (this one here being inspired by food and wine), and the thought of a an actual SLICE of pasta kind of freaked me once. Even as I was mixing the ingredients and shoving bucatini into a springform pan, I was all no no no this is headed on the crazy train to nowhere.
Then, dumb old me realized that it really is just like eating a bowl of spaghetti. (Which I just spelled “SPEGHATTI” whatiswrongwithme #insertcoveredeyeemojihere)
However, I’d even argue that it’s better than eating a bowl of spaghetti since it’s held together by CHEESE. One cheesey pie of noodles and fontina and provolone and parmesan. And let’s be real: I probably love it so much since the tomato sauce ratio to pasta is quite low.
It’s definitely RICH. Couldn’t really imagine eating more than one slice, but you could probably take that up with Eddie who just ate six slices of cake in one day. Eating his emotions so he won’t yell at me for singing? Most likely.
Cheesy Bucatini Pie with Mini Meatballs
Ingredients
cheesy bucatini pie
- 1 pound bucatini pasta, cooked according to directions
- 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 1/4 cups milk
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
- 8 ounces fontina cheese, freshly grated
- 8 ounces provolone cheese, freshly grated
- basil leaves for topping
mini meatballs
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/3 cup romano cheese
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 1/2 sweet onion, diced
- 1/2 teaspoon italian seasoning
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
Instructions
cheesy bucatini pie
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Butter the inside of a 9-inch springform pan and set it aside.
- In a large bowl, mix together the eggs, milk, salt, pepper, pasta, parmesan, and almost all of the fontina and cheese, reserving a little bit for the top. Place it into the springform pan and cover with remaining cheese. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the top is golden and set. If you want the cheese even more bubbly, you can place it under the broiler for a minute or two. Serve with meatballs and sauce.
mini meatballs
- In a large bowl, add the beef, egg, oil, cheese, breadcrumbs, garlic, salt, pepper, basil and oregano. Mix to combine, gently tossing a few times with your hands. Don’t overmix – it will result in tough meatballs! Form the meat into teaspoon-sized balls, 1/2-inch in diamter, or about that size. It will make about 30 meatballs at that size.
- Heat a large skillet over medium high heat and add the olive oil. Place the meatballs in the skillet and brown on all sides, the transfer the meatballs to a bowl. Add the onions to the same skillet and cook until soft. Pour in the crushed tomatoes and italian seasoning. Reduce the heat to low and simmer.
- Heat a small saucepan over medium heat and add the butter. Immediately begin whisking. Stir as it bubbles, and after 2 to 3 minutes or so you should see brown bits appear on the bottom of the pan. Continue to whisk for another 30 seconds. Pour the butter into the crushed tomatoes. Cover the large skillet and cook for 15 minutes. Place the meatballs back into the sauce and cook for another 15 or 20 minutes. Serve the sauce and meatballs over the bucatini pie.
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
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I appreciate you so much!
I’ll leave you with that.
48 Comments on “Cheesy Bucatini Pie with Mini Meatballs.”
Heck yes we can still be friends! How DELISH is this?! It seriously looks bomb and I am all over trying this ASAP!!
I’m pretty sure you might become my new best friend for giving me pie and pasta. This looks amazing.
Being a total food wimp, if a friend served this for lunch, I might be a little skeptical. But when I look over that ingredient list I think, there’s nothing threatening my taste buds here. And you are right, taste buds change over time. I use to eat nothing but Kraft mac and cheese and know I will eat anything but boxed mac n cheese.
if someone served me this for lunch before i had made it, i’d definitely flip.
Um, a pie of pasta – for we will be friends forever! :) Great photos and I bet it all tasted amazing.
Lou
http://www.LoveHappinessYoga.com
It looks delicious! I wonder if I could make it gluten-free – using rice or corn pasta. What do you think?
definitely think so!!
There are no words needed…the last photo says it all. I am no salavating and can’t wait to make this. Truly DELISH!
now …salivating…worst speller in the world even with spell check
this made me LOL.
Is this even real?! Oh my gooosh, YUM!!
Also, that Pentatonix Christmas album, I’m totally doing the same thing! Haha.
can’t stop won’t stop.
Soooo … I was going to make spaghetti and meatballs for dinner tonight – but OMG this sounds SO much better!!
Wow – this looks sooo good! I’ve seen pasta “pies” floating around the internet before, but was always a little confused by the idea. After reading this and seeing the photos, this is going on my recipe list ASAP! :)
Dani | http://www.styledvariety.com
This pie looks amazing! Can’t wait to try it!
Paige
http://thehappyflammily.com
Oh my gosh seriously everything is better when it’s made into a pie! Love this!!
This looks great! Macaroni pie (kind of like this) is actually a HUGE staple in the caribbean!
Hey, Jess, (can I call you Jess? I feel like I know you!)
How many adorable mini meatballs did the meat mixture make? About what diameter were they?
Gracias,
Cheryl
ack sorry! i forgot to include that the first day but fixed it. i get about 30 meatballs and they are about 1/2 inch in diameter!
If this isn’t one of the greatest forms of food porn, I just don’t know what is!
You made my cheesy carb loving heart pitter patter with this recipe.
It’s so crazy how our tastes change over time!! Glad you are embracing salad and tomato sauce. And super glad you created this ah-maze-ing recipe. Those meatballs!! LOVE.
OMG. I’m sure I’ll be living off this and cookies for the rest of December.
Ummm, I still enjoy the delicacy that is that burnt cheese on the edges of the Stouffer’s mac and cheese. #sorrynotsorry I need to be a grownup, though, and make this amaze-balls dish! (get it? ugh, I am sorry about that.)
i should probably buy some. GAH.
While you were ranting. ..I mean discussing…your lack of spaghetti sauce love, I couldn’t help but think of Marcella’s butter sauce. I’ve been sick this week, forget chicken soup, I just made a big pot of her sauce!
How could I not love this recipe when my favorite sauce is simply the base? Looks amazing.
right! that is the best sauce ever. i hope you feel better soon barb!
I can’t wait to make this. My husband will totally love you for this too. He’s been going on and on and on about spaghetti pie (apparently he had it as a kid and still thinks about it). Now I can make it for him (because just making spaghetti with normal tomato sauce and baking it isn’t the same). :D
Thanks!!
OMG! This looks sooo amazing! Those meatballs…wow! I want one NOW! I love spaghetti but have to say, I have never made a spaghetti pie. I think this is the
recipe that changes that!! I am sure my hubby thanks you for this recipe! too!
That burnt cheesy outside crust has my heart.
This looks absolutely unbelievable. The thought of brown butter added to the tomato sauce is brilliant. It doesn’t matter at all that I just ate lunch. I want this right now.
Um YES to pasta pie!!! Gimme all the cheese and pasta <3
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Made this tonight! Per usual it was amazing!! We ate it all before we could snap it to you. My boyfriend was excited to have his two favorite “meatballs and cheese” in the same meal.
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As soon as I saw this I knew it would be our Christmas dinner meal. It couldn’t have been more perfect!!! Thanks for a beautiful and delicious recipe!
Can I make this in a regular pie dish or a cake pan?
I want all of this. This is my cheesy carb dream. I also love the new design!!!
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This is the first recipe i have ever commented on. I have made a similar version by one of the well-known chefs. This is soooooo much better. The bocatini works a lot better than regular spaghetti. I will definately make this again and look forward to checking out your other recipies!
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Delicious! Like in the amazing cooking class I took on the Delectable Destinations Amalfi Coast culinary tour.
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This was a great dish! Admittedly, i made a simpler, modified jar sauce with ground beef for the topping, but the buccatini pie base was so delicious! My family loved it and I will definitely try it again – the full recipe- when I have more time. But this made a quick, yummy dinner.
made this tonight. followed recipe exactly except added a little of the cooked sauce to the egg and cheese and pasta mixture before cooking and came out looking just like yours. Also used percatelli as I couldn’t find bucatini. this was so delicious and will definitely be made again. The sauce was delicious too!! Thanks so much for recipe.