Spaghetti Does Lasagna’s Job

Day 1: Spaghetti with tomato sauce, linguine with clam sauce or any other long pasta with sauce of choice

Day 2: Baked Spaghetti

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Many cooks love lasagna but never make it because it’s too labor-intensive. This recipe for Baked Spaghetti tastes and is served like lasagna, but it’s made from leftover spaghetti or any other kind of long pasta you’ve made the night before.

The sauce on the original pasta will be the flavor base for your Baked Spaghetti. If you had marinara sauce last night, you’ll have a marinara-flavored Baked Spaghetti. If you happen to have some leftover linguine with clam sauce, even better.

This recipe is for 8 cups of leftover spaghetti, but don’t worry if you don’t have that much. You can use any amount; just use 1 egg and 1/3 cup of ricotta cheese per 2 cups of spaghetti and pick a pan of the appropriate size.

Serve the Baked Spaghetti with a green salad dressed with a simple vinaigrette and a glass of Chianti. Even leftovers deserve some style.

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Baked Spaghetti

Active Work Times: 10 Minutes * Total Preparation Time: 50 Minutes

4 eggs

1 1/3 cups ricotta

3 ounces sliced prosciutto, chopped

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

8 cups leftover spaghetti, tossed in leftover sauce

Nonstick cooking spray

3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 cups chopped arugula, about 3 ounces

2 plum tomatoes, sliced into thin rounds

* Mix eggs, ricotta, prosciutto, pepper and salt in large bowl.

* Fold in leftover spaghetti and sauce.

* Spray 13x9-inch baking dish with vegetable spray and place pasta mixture in dish. Sprinkle 1/4 cup Parmesan over top. Cover top evenly with chopped arugula. Sprinkle with additional 1/4 cup Parmesan. Cover top with layer of tomato slices. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan.

* Bake at 350 degrees 40 minutes. (Note that smaller casserole will have shorter baking time.)

* Let stand at room temperature 10 minutes before cutting.

6 to 8 servings. Each of 8 servings: 431 calories, 1,475 mg sodium, 147 mg cholesterol, 20 grams fat, 40 grams carbohydrates, 22 grams protein, 0.60 grams fiber.