Ingredients
Crust:
- 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
- 1 cup bread crumbs
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 3 large eggs
- 1/2 cup Parmesan
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Filling:
- 5 cups cooked tubetti pasta (tiny tubes or baby shells work best)
- 1/2 pound shredded mozzarella
- 1/2 pound shredded provolone
- 3/4 cup grated Parmesan, plus extra for garnish
- 2 cups Adriana's tomato basil sauce, recipe follows
Directions
Crust:
Mix crust ingredients gently to combine. Do not over mix. Put mixture into a lightly greased 10-inch pie plate. Shape meat to form a 1-inch thick crust.
Filling:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Mix filling ingredients and scoop into meat crust.
Bake for 1 1/2 hours. Let pie cool for 15 minutes before cutting into 8 pie slices. Top each slice with Adriana's Tomato Basil Sauce and sprinkle with a little Parmesan.
Adriana's Tomato Basil Sauce:
1/3 cup olive oil
4 cloves minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
56 ounces canned tomatoes
24 ounces tomato paste
56 ounces water
1 1/2 tablespoons salt
1 teaspoon black ground pepper
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup fresh whole basil leaves
1 (2-ounce) chunk Romano cheese
In large pot, cook garlic and red pepper flakes in oil on low heat for 3 to 5 minutes only. Add tomatoes, paste, water, all seasonings, and fresh basil. Bring to a boil and then reduce to low heat. Add the chunk of Romano cheese. Cook for 2 1/2 to 3 hours stirring often.