White spaghetti pie is a comforting baked pasta that combines Pecorino and Fontina cheese with eggs and cracked black pepper to create a sauce that’s tossed with spaghetti, and baked in a skillet until perfectly crisp on the outside but still creamy on the inside. 

White spaghetti pie in cast iron pan with one slice missing.

When my family hears I’m making spaghetti pie, they can’t help but smile.  

We categorize spaghetti pie under ultra comfort food right alongside baked mac and cheese and lasagna, and lasagna pie.

This white spaghetti pie has a similar flavor profile to cacio e pepe thanks to the Pecorino and the black pepper but we’ve also added Fontina cheese for extra flavor and creaminess.

I love to serve a slice of spaghetti pie alongside a cup of soup and a green salad.  

Ingredients shown: milk, fontina cheese, Pecorino Romano, eggs, butter, olive oil, and spaghetti.

How to make it

Each number corresponds to the numbered written steps below.

  1. Preheat the oven to 375f and set one rack on the middle level and the other at the top level.  Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and cook 1 pound of spaghetti until 2 minutes less than al dente.  While the water is boiling, grate 3/4 cup of Pecorino Romano cheese and shred 2 cups of Fontina cheese. In a large bowl beat together 8 large eggs with 1/2 cup whole milk, 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, and 1 1/2 teaspoons of cracked black pepper.  Add 1 1/2 cups of the Fontina and 1/2 cup of the Pecorino Romano cheese and stir to combine.  

White spaghetti pie recipe process shot collage group number one.

  1. Heat a 10-inch oven-proof, ideally cast iron, pan to medium heat.  Drain the spaghetti and add to the bowl with the cheese mixture, stirring well to combine.  
  2. Add 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the hot pan and spread to coat the whole pan.  

Recipe process shot collage group number two.

  1. Add the spaghetti mixture to the pan and cook for 1 minute without stirring, then turn off the heat.
  2. Top the spaghetti with the remaining Fontina and Pecorino and bake in the center of the oven for 15 minutes, or until the spaghetti pie is set.

Recipe process shot collage group number three.

  1. For a browner top, move the pan to the upper rack and broil for 1-2 minutes but watch carefully.  After removing from the oven, allow the spaghetti pie to sit for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.  Enjoy!  Note:  You can easily remove the whole spaghetti pie to a plate by either flipping it into a large platter or by just using 2 large spatulas.

Slice of white spaghetti pie in grey plate.

Top tips for perfect white spaghetti pie

  • The pasta.  Cooking your spaghetti to 2 minutes less than al dente will help ensure that the pasta doesn’t become too mushy during the baking process.
  • The pan. I strongly recommend using a 10-inch cast iron pan to make this spaghetti pie.  It heats evenly and allows the pie to get nice and brown on the bottom and the sides.  It is also oven safe which makes it easy to move from the stovetop to the oven. You can also use a springform pan or round baking dish but may need to cook a few minutes longer. 
  • Cooking the pie. The pie will cook on the stovetop for 1 minute before being placed in the oven for 15 minutes, and then broiling at the very end for 1-2 minutes.  You may see some spaghetti pie recipes where the pie is flipped and cooked on both sides, but that’s not necessary.  Cooking it in the manner described here will yield just as good a result as flipping and it’s much easier.
  • Rest time. After removing from the oven allow the pie to sit for about 5 minutes before removing and slicing and serving.
  • Substitutions. If you prefer the pie to be creamier, you can add 1 – 1 1/2 cups of ricotta.  Also, mozzarella can be subbed for fontina.
  • Additions. If you’re a fan of our videos, you’ll notice that Jim made a cacio e pepe sauce to serve on top of the spaghetti pie.  If you want to do this, add about 1/2 cup of pasta water to 1 cup of Pecorino and cracked pepper and mix/adjust cheese or water until it reaches the desired consistency.  You can also add a touch of butter to make it more creamy.

Overhead shot of white spaghetti pie in cast iron pan.

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White Spaghetti Pie

4.88 from 24 votes
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Total: 35 minutes
Servings: 8 slices
White spaghetti pie is an old-school baked pasta that combines Pecorino and Fontina cheese with eggs, cracked black pepper and spaghetti that's baked in a skillet until perfectly crisp on the outside but still creamy on the inside.

Ingredients 

  • 1 pound spaghetti
  • 8 large eggs beaten
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse cracked black pepper
  • 3/4 cup Pecorino Romano cheese grated, divided
  • 2 cups Fontina cheese shredded, divided
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
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Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 375f and set a rack on the middle level and the other rack near the top.
  • Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and cook the spaghetti until 2 minutes less than al dente.
  • Meanwhile, in a large bowl, beat together the eggs, milk, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and black pepper. Add 1 1/2 cups Fontina, and a 1/2 cup of Pecorino Romano cheese and stir to combine.
  • Heat a 10-inch oven-proof or ideally a cast iron pan to medium heat.
  • Drain the spaghetti and add to the bowl. Mix well to combine.
  • Add the butter and oil to the hot pan and spread to coat the whole pan. Add the spaghetti mixture to the pan and cook for 1 minute without stirring then turn off the heat.
  • Top with the remaining Fontina and Pecorino and bake for 15 minutes in the center of the oven or until the spaghetti pie is set. For a browner top, move the pan to the upper rack and broil for 1-2 minutes but watch carefully.
  • Let the spaghetti pie sit for 5 minutes before cutting it into slices. Enjoy!

Notes

  • The exact cooking time will vary but should be around 15 minutes.  Bake the spaghetti pie just until it sets, then if desired, move to the broiler to further brown the top. 
  • Leftovers can be saved for up to 3 days in the fridge and can be reheated in a pan of the oven until warm.

Nutrition

Calories: 447kcal | Carbohydrates: 44.4g | Protein: 22.9g | Fat: 20.6g | Saturated Fat: 10.1g | Cholesterol: 210mg | Sodium: 386mg | Potassium: 86mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2.5g | Calcium: 270mg | Iron: 3mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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52 Comments

  1. Paul Dellie says:

    4 stars
    This was our Holy Saturday lunch meal, as we didn’t eat meat from Holy Thursday till Easter Sunday. Enjoy, it’s wonderful.

  2. FRANK SOMMA says:

    5 stars
    I loved this recipe. It is an improvement on what my mom made, which did not use Fontina cheese. I melted a small amount of pork fat to coat the bottom of the pan for a bit of extra flavor.

    Question: What did your family call this dish? My dad says pastiera, but that’s the name many use for wheat pie. My friend says frittata di spaghetti. I would love to hear what any readers can offer for a name

    Thanks for a lovely recipe!

  3. Maria says:

    5 stars
    This was really close in taste and texture to my grandmother’s pastia recipe which she always made for Eastern I think the fontina cheese adds the richness that the lard provided in the old days without adding a ton of cheesey flavor. I upped the amount of pepper a bit because hers was very peppery but this is perfect. We have been trying to recreate her pastia for a while and this one brought me back to the good old days.

  4. Gail says:

    5 stars
    Hi. I made this last night and really liked it. I did find it a little dense and lacking moisture. I wasn’t sure it had “set” during the bake time and may have cooked it too long. That being said what would be the recommendation for reheating? Thank you!

    1. Tara says:

      Hi Gail, you can reheat in the oven at 325f until warm or you can cut a slice and warm in a pan on the stovetop.

  5. Michael Weber says:

    3 stars
    Pie was under seasoned and bland. I made a bruschetta relish as a topping, which helped, but I would definitely add salt and look for ways to impart more flavor in the pie if I were to make this again. I enjoy your YouTube videos. Thanks!

  6. Irene Farrell Costanzo says:

    Can this recipe be cut in half – it’s just me so don’t want to make all that

    1. Tara says:

      Yes, it can be cut in half. You’ll just need to use a smaller pan. Hope you enjoy.

      1. Irene Farrell Costanzo says:

        Thanks so much and I’m sure I will – I love all your recipes