Baked P'Sketti Squares

Once in a while I'll come across a good recipe in the newspaper. This one appeared a few weeks ago in our local paper, and I just knew I had to try it and submit it to Ruth's Presto Pasta Nights! It's very easy to make, and can be tinkered with to add different "toppings." I used salami, and think that I could also try crumbled Italian sausage, black olives, mushrooms, or pepperoni. This recipe made a 9 x 13" dish--we ate nearly half of it. There's one square in the fridge for Don's lunch today, and the other half is now in the freezer for another night.


This is truly a healthy pasta dish - I used Dreamfields spaghetti, and there are two whole zucchini shredded up and added. Ms. Reihhold said that her children gobbled this up and never complained about the zucchini. Don and I really didn't notice the zucchini at all (or we're just used to zucchini).

Baked P'Sketti Squares
from Dorothy Reinhold in the San Bernardino County Sun

8 oz. dry spaghetti
1 ½ cups shredded zucchini, (about 2 small)
½ cup milk
1 egg
¾ tsp. dried oregano
½ tsp. garlic powder
½ tsp. onion powder
3 tablespoon grated Parmesan
1 26-oz. jar spaghetti sauce (I used Newman's Own Cabernet Marinara)
1-2 oz. thinly sliced salami or pepperoni, chopped (I used salami this time)
1 8 oz. bag shredded Mozzarella

Heat oven to 350˚. Mist a 13 x 9" baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and set aside. Cook spaghetti in boiling salted water until al dente. Drain well and pour cooked noodles into prepared dish. Sprinkle with shredded zucchini and stir to mix. In a 2-cup measuring cup, measure milk and add egg, oregano, garlic powder and onion powder. Whisk with a fork to blend well. Pour milk mixture over cooked spaghetti and stir a bit to make sure ingredients are mixed in baking dish. Sprinkle evenly with Parmesan cheese. Pour sauce evenly over top. Sprinkle with salami or pepperoni, and bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven, sprinkle evenly with mozzarella, and return to the oven for an additional 10 minutes. Remove from oven and cool 5-10 minutes, to allow it to firm up enough to hold its shape when you cut it into squares. Serves 8-10.