Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1 1/2 c. stelline or orzo pasta (these are both tiny, like grains of rice.)
- 2 beaten eggs
- 1/2 c. grated parmesan cheese
- 2 c. marinara sauce divided
- 1 lb. ground Italian sausage pork or turkey
- 6 oz. baby spinach roughly chopped
- 1/2 c. ricotta cheese
- 1 1/2 c. Italian blend shredded cheese
Instructions
- Preheate oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 10″ pie dish with PAM cooking spray and set aside.
- Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water for a few seconds.
- Stir together eggs, parmesan cheese, and 1/2 c. marinara sauce until well combined. Stir in drained pasta until evenly coated. Pour pasta mixture into prepared pie dish, and press evenly into the bottom and up the sides of the pan to form the crust.
- Spray a 12″ skillet with PAM and heat over medium-high heat. Add sausage, and brown and crumble meat until cooked through. Add spinach, and stir and saute until spinach is completely cooked and wilted. Drain meat and spinach mixture very well. (The draining step is important! Too much liquid will cause the crust to fall apart.)
- Return the meat and spinach to the skillet or a large mixing bowl, and stir in ricotta cheese. Spread sausage mixture evenly into pasta crust.
- Spread remaining 1 1/2 c. marinara (or as much as sauce as you like) over the sausage, and bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes.
- Sprinkle cheese evenly over the top, and bake an additional 8-10 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly. Allow to stand about 10 minutes before cutting.
Notes
Adapted from Better Homes and Garden’s Home for Dinner
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 45
- Category: Main
- Cuisine: Italian
98 comments
What a great idea to use star pasta as a pie crust, and I love how this dish comes together; so creative. Stopping by from #SITSBlogging.
Thank you, Angela! It’s great to meet you. Thanks so much for stopping by!
I have been wondering what to do with those tiny little pastas, thank you! I’ll make this recipe, sounds great!
I hope you like it, Chrystal! I have another recipe coming up with star pasta, maybe this week, so you can use up the rest of the box :) Thanks so much for your visit!
Thank you to all who left a comment and entered the PAM sweepstakes. We have a winner! Congratulations to Laura Houston! I still welcome your comments about the pizza or the pan or life in general, but the contest has ended. Thanks again!
My 7 year old son would love this pie crust. The only problem is that he is allergic to eggs, is there something else I could use to hold it together??
Hi, Kristen! I can’t say how it will work for sure since I haven’t tried it yet, but what about stirring in an additional 1/2 c. of ricotta with the pasta? I think that would hold it together. Honestly, even if it falls apart a bit when you serve it, it will still taste as good! Thanks so much for stopping by :)
My son is allergic to eggs, could something else be used in their place??
I would make a cherry pie!! yummm! Or maybe Mushroom Quiche. Cant decide :)
Those are two pretty opposite choices, but both sound really good, Rochel! Good luck in the giveaway, and thanks for your visit!
Yum!! This looks YUMMY, I think I will try to make a Pecan Pie :)
That sounds good, Chastidy, and this big pie dish will make a big one! Thanks so much for your visit!
Since you now have me craving pizza and spinach…lol…the first thing I will make will be a deep dish spinach & cheese pizza :)
Thanks, Debra! I sure hope you like it as much as we did!
If I win the first thing I’m going I make is a delicious pumpkin pie! Thanks for the giveaway & recipe, which I’m going to try after my pie!
Sounds good, and thank you! Good luck in the giveaway, Cassandra!
I think the first thing I would make in it would be a peach cobbler.
That sounds really good, Karen! I use frozen peaches for recipes all year round. Thanks for your comment!
I think my first creation would have to be a blueberry crumble crisp pie- my mouth is watering just thinking about it!
Mine is too! :) Thanks for the great recipe idea, and good luck in the giveaway!
If I win the le creuset pie dish I would try and make a chicken pot pie. Le Creuset is a dream to me!
I would make a salted caramel apple pie because my parents are coming to visit and insanely picky (sadly) so its something I know they would eat without complaint.
mummytotwoboys@yahoo.com
I would be making a vegan apple pie with caramels in that beautiful pie pan!
This is a very inventive recipe! I’m going to have to give this a try myself!
Thanks, Susan! I really hope you like it, and thanks for your comment :)
I would make a chocolate meringue pie.
Ooh yum! I have had chocolate pie with whipped cream topping but never meringue. Sounds really good!
I would make a Pecan Pie! Then I would try your awesome recipe! Thank you for the giveaway!
That sounds good, Robin. Thank you so much for comment, and good luck!
I would make a Chicken Pot Pie!
That sounds really good. Do you use a pie crust on top or more like a biscuit topping?
I like using a pie crust! Yummy & flaky
I would make a pumpkin pie!
Pumpkin pie is always a hit, Annemarie. Thanks for stopping by!
I’d make an apple pie w/ streusel topping!
I’ve been eye balling this …and I have to admit that I really want to make your recipe with my brand new Le Creuset pie dish…matches my kitchen. So see…it’s perfect for me! (I love your deep dish pizzas, Andi! I’m your biggest fan! seriously)
You are too sweet, Gloria! This pizza is less work than the other deep dish pizza. Let me know if you try either one. I was so excited to get this red pan because it matches my kitchen too! I have red Le Creuset canisters that I splurged on a few years ago and the red dutch oven that was a gift. Our kitchen is actually green with light wood, but we have red accents all over the place.
if i win i will make a casserole
Hi, Sarah. Casseroles are big winners in my book. I love to have dinner all in one dish. Thanks for your comment!
Ummmmm… this?? lol! ;) I LOVE that you used pasta for the “crust”- how creative!
Thank you, Carrie!
I would make pumpkin pie, it’s our favorite!
Hi, Zoe. Pumpkin is my favorite too, any time of year!
this looks so different-I can’t wait to try it. I would make a pie first
Hi, Dana. I hope you like the pizza if you try it. What kind of pies do you like to make? I actually make cookies and cake more often than pies, but I will for sure be making a pumpkin one for Thanksgiving! Thanks for your comment :)
I would Definately make a pecan pie. My family would LOVE IT !! And Wow! The recipe looks great!
Thank you, Elizabeth! I love that we have so many traditionalists here who want apple, pecan, and pumpkin pies first :) Thank you for stopping by.
Wow! What a gorgeous pizza and Le Crueset pie dish. I was going to say I’d make a pumpkin pie first but this deep dish pizza looks way too delish. Yummy!
Thanks, Denise! We just polished off the rest of this pasta pizza today. It’s good leftover too :)
I would make spinach quiche w/ crust from scratch. Yum!
That sounds delicious, Gretchen! Thanks for stopping by :)
I would make a holday pie in the pan. I could bring the pie to the table to serve it,
Hi, Sandy. You are right that this dish would be beautiful to bring to the table. What kind of pie do you like to make for the holidays?
I may try to make this amazing looking Sausage and Spinach Deep Dish pizza! My husband literally started drooling when I asked him if he wanted me to try to make this….so I guess thats a yes? Thanks so much for the recipe and fun giveaway!
Thank you, Cassandra! I hope your husband didn’t drool on your computer ;) Let me know how you like the recipe!
The first thing I’d make in the Le Creuset pie dish is an old family favorite, spaghetti pie! It’s been handed done from generation to generation and must be kept like a state secret, no one outside of the family is allowed to know what exactly is in it!
Hi, Robin. Spaghetti pie sounds delicious, and now you’ve made me so curious as to what’s in it!
This is a dish the DIY Guy would love! Pinning!
Thank you, Deb! It’s a pretty fun recipe :)
I would make a pumpkin pie. We still have all of these pumpkins to use up.
Hi, Peppin. I’m impressed that you make your pies with real pumpkins. I always just use canned purees and only buy pumpkins for decoration! Thanks for your visit :)
This looks amazing! *pinned* I might make this very pie first thing. I might also make a sweet potato pie–I’m sort of the keeper of my grandmother’s recipe.
Hi, Mary Beth! I need to get in on sweet potato pie. I’ve only made pumpkin pies, but I tried sweet potato one year and liked it just as much. Thanks for stopping by!
I would totally make a real Texas Pecan Pie that is thick and rich. Yum!
I’m from Mississippi. Is the pecan pie different in Texas? I’ll have to look into that! Thanks for stopping by, Angela :)
Looks yummy!
Thanks, Jennifer!
No questions here apple pie all the way.
Another apple pie vote! Will you have apple pie at Thanksgiving this year? I’m only planning on making pumpkin pie (maybe pumpkin cheesecake), but I might make two desserts.
I would make an apple pie! Ever since the weather changed I’ve had a bad craving!
This recipe looks delicious!
Apple pie seems to be very popular! Maybe I need to come up with an apple pie recipe next :) Thanks for your comment!
I’m going to do this useing broccoli rabe instead of spinach. Trader’s Joes has an organic marinara sauce with basil that would be perfect for this.
That will be great I’m sure. I used an organic marinara too but not from TJs this time. I do love their stuff though! Thanks for stopping by :)
Ok, you are too funny and I am DROOLING over this recipe, Andi!!! I will definitely be trying this one!! YUM! Pinning now!! xo
I almost fell on the floor when you said “Ahem, would you look at me while I’m talking to you please?” because I was literally too distracted to read and kept looking at the little star pastas in the pics. Lol. This pizza is insane! Insanely awesome, that is!! I cannot wait to try this. :)
Isn’t that pasta so cute?? I still have a little left and will throw it in soup or something next time. Thank you for such a sweet comment, Tina. I’m happy you like the pizza!
That recipe looks delicious!I pinned it so I can try this~I am sure my fiance’ would love it.He loves all of the ingredients in this so I am sure it will be a hit.I have been craving Granny Smith apples so I think the first think I would bake is an apple pecan pie :)
Thank you, Dana! Apple pecan pie sounds delicious! Does it have a pecan topping, or is there a crust on top and pecans are baked inside?
Brown sugar crust with pecans.So good with ice cream :)
As in topping I meant to say!
Ooh, that sounds really good!
The first thing I would make in this dish, is a cranberry apple pie. Your recipe looks delicious, but I would leave out the sausage, and maybe add mushrooms to make it vegetarian :)
I love cranberry and apple together. I used to make a cranberry apple crumble that I forgot about. I need to find that recipe! The original recipe I adapted this pizza from was vegetarian, and mushrooms would be a really good addition. Thanks so much for your comment, Jamey :)
I love that you take time to reply to everyone’s comments, very nice! :)
Thanks, Jamey! I love getting comments, so it’s my pleasure to reply! Enjoy your weekend :)
Wow! Would never have thought to use pasta as a crust! Yum :) I think I would make my favorite favorite favorite 5-fruit pie in this adorable dish: strawberries, rhubarb, apples, raspberries, and blackberries.
That is a lot of fruits, Katy! I think they would all fit in this big pie dish. It’s so nice to hear from you :)
The first thing I would make is a breakfast quiche!
Oh yum, that would be delicious, Alecia! Since this dish is on the large side, your quiche could feed a crowd. Thanks so much for stopping by :)
I do think I would try to make this Sausage and Spinach Deep Dish Pizza with a Le Creuset pie dish haha… the pictures make me drool ; ;
Thanks, Susanna! I hope you get a chance to try the recipe, and good luck in the contest!
Andi this recipe is brilliant! I cannot wait to make this for my hubby, pinning!
Thank you so much, Emily! xo
This looks delicious and I’m glad to see you can substitute the ricotta (not a fan). I’m looking forward to trying this next week. Heading to the store tomorrow for my weeks groceries; I’ll be sure to add a few more groceries.
Thanks, Laura! If you try it with cream cheese instead of ricotta, let me know how it turns out. Cream cheese only makes things better if you ask me ;) Thank you for stopping by!
In my new Le Creuset pie dish, I would make Sausage and Spinach Stuffed Deep Dish Pizza with Pasta Crust! :-)
Btw, can I leave out the ricotta or sub something besides cottage cheese?
You are sweet, Rona! You could definitely leave out the ricotta or maybe try cream cheese instead. You can’t really tell the ricotta is there since it’s a pretty small amount.