Torn Between Two Loves

We met at this little Italian place downtown. When we were first introduced I wasn’t sure that we would hit it off, but to my surprise, after that first meal together I couldn’t get her out of my mind…

I had grown up with her older cousin and I enjoyed their similarities. Both were pleasurable, warm and inviting. Both were Italian-born and I had learned over the years that each could at times go from being bland and uninspired to rich, robust and addictive. That was always dependent upon where we would meet…

I was torn. Was it right to go from one to the other, day after day, year after year without paying a price for my indecision? But how could I choose? I loved them both so much. If only there was some way that I could combine the delicious comfort of my hot little Neapolitan delight with the classic, saucy, international flare of my first love.

But if I could, what would people think when they discovered that I’ve forced my two great loves to unite in front of me so that I might enjoy their desires at the same time? Would it be moral? Would it be proper? Could it ever really work?….

Aaah, the hell with it! Let’s do this thang!

Katt’s Two Love Spaghetti Pizza

(What did you think I was talking about?)

1 pound dried spaghetti
Olive oil
2 eggs
¼ cup whole milk
½ cup grated Parmesan
1 jar of your favorite prepared spaghetti sauce
1 8 oz bag of shredded mozzarella
Your favorite toppings

As you can tell from the ingredients – definitely a slackers’ meal. The hardest part of this deal is opening the jar of spaghetti sauce. If you can boil, ladle and chop, you’re good to go.

First off – get some water for the pasta. Grab a nice sized pot, fill it with cold water, dump in a good amount of salt and bring it up to a boil. Pop in the wheat sticks and cook beyond al dente. Yeah, that’s right. I know we’re working with two hot dishes here but a soft noodle is mandatory. Not mushy, just not firm. When the pasta’s ready, pull it out of the water, throw it in a strainer and spray it with cold water to kill the cooking process and keep it from getting too limp.

Next, get a large bowl and combine the 2 beaten eggs, milk and Parmesan. Season it with salt and pepper and toss in the cooked pasta. Mix well.

Find a large ovenproof non-stick skillet and heat up some olive oil at medium to medium high on the stove top. Now comes the hard part; add the spaghetti and egg mix and spread it out evenly in the pan. Cook until it’s golden brown (check it often).

Then invert it onto a flat pan or cookie sheet (that means put the cookie sheet upside down on top of the skillet and turn the whole thing over onto the cookie sheet).

Pour a little more oil into the pan and slide the pasta back in and cook that side for about half as long as the first. Remove it from the heat and flip it (invert it) again onto the cookie sheet one more time. Now slide it back into the skillet and try your luck at opening that jar of spaghetti sauce.

Spread the sauce out onto your spaghetti pizza and then lay down a good dose of the mozzarella.

Finally, add the chopped-up toppings. As you can see, I went with some precooked meatballs, some canned artichoke hearts and sliced red onion. Pour a little olive oil on the spaghetti that isn’t covered by the sauce and pitch it into a preheated 375 degree oven. Once the cheese has melted and it starts to brown (around 15-20 minutes), take it out and let it rest for 5 minutes. Then slide it back onto the cookie sheet to make cutting the slices easier.

Now it’s time to get down and dirty! Bet your noodle isn’t so soft now, eh?

Mama Mia! Nothin’ says lovin’ like something from the oven!