Pasta Pizza Pie

Pasta Pizza Pie combines two Italian favorites (and two of my favorites!) into a delicious pizza-inspired baked pasta.  First, you start by baking a pasta "crust."  Then you spread your favorite pasta sauce over the crust and top it with your favorite toppings.  I used a 12-inch saute pan in lieu of a pizza pan, and it worked great!

Pasta Pizza Pie puts a fun twist on pizza and a fun twist on pasta,...and incidently since it's also a "pie," this Pasta Pizza Pie is perfect for today, March 14th (3.14)..."Pi Day!"

Pasta Pizza Pie
Yields 4 servings

Ingredients
Cooking spray
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 large onion, chopped*
1 cup sliced mushrooms (I used baby bellas)*
2 garlic cloves, minced *
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup milk (I used skim)
8 ounces (1/2 of a 1 pound box) rotini-shaped pasta, cooked and drained
1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese (about 4 ounces)
1 1/2 cups of your favorite pasta sauce (I used Muir Glen Tomato Basil)
crushed red pepper flakes, to taste

* substitute with your favorite pizza toppings

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray 12-inch saute pan or pizza pan with cooking spray and set aside.
2. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat.  Add onion and mushrooms and cook until tender, about 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally.  In the last minute, add minced garlic and stir for 1 minute.  Remove from heat.
3. In a medium bowl, stir egg, milk, pasta and 1/2 cup cheese.  Spread pasta mixture in prepared pizza pan.  Bake this pasta crust for 20 minutes. 
4. Remove pasta crust from oven and spread sauce over crust.  Top with onion-mushroom mixture.  Sprinkle with remaining cheese.  Shake crushed red pepper flakes over cheese.
5. Bake for 15 minutes, or until cheese is melted.  Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Source: Campbell's Kitchen