Any kind of Pasta served with Pizza Pasta Sauce & any Pizza Toppings you want to include with Cheese. Make a Pizza Pasta Melt, Pasta Bake or Casserole. So gather the type of Pasta you want, your Toppings and some Mozzarella Cheese, because I got a Tasty Pizza Pasta Sauce for this dish.
Oh, I got names too! From Pizzetti (made with Spaghetti), Pizzappi (with Cavatappi), Pizzaroni (with Macaroni), Pizzatini (with Rotini), Pizzenne (with Penne), right down to the Cheese Melts like the Pizzappi Melt or emptied into a casserole and topped with Cheese for a Pizza Pasta Casserole or single serve Au Gratin dish for a Pizza Pasta Bake. However you decide to create your dish, it’s the coming together of Pasta, Pizza Pasta Sauce, Toppings/Fillings, and some Cheese for not only a quick meal, but a satisfying Belly Smile too.
Pasta
Use any kind of Pasta you may be in a particular mood for. No matter the type, it will go into a pot of Salted Water to boil until done. Then scooped right there out of the pot to add to the large skillet with the Toppings & Sauce.
Keep the ratio of Pasta to Sauce at 1:2 no matter how much you use. 100g of Pasta, use 200g of Sauce.
Pizzetti
- 300g Spaghetti
- 600g Pizza Pasta Sauce
- Meatballs, 1 Tbl portions
- Parmigiano Reggiano
- with Parsley & Aleppo to garnish
Pizzappi Melt
- 200g Cavatapi
- 400g Pizza Pasta Sauce
- 1/2 lb Ground Beef
- 1 Onion
- 200g Mozzarella Cheese
Boiling Pasta
Fill a Pasta Pot up with 16 Cups of Water & 2 Tbl of Sea Salt and bring to a boil on the back burner. Once boiling, add the Pasta and cook until al dente. When done, lift the inner strainer and empty into the skillet or scoop all the Pasta out with tongs for long Pasta or a spider for short Pasta and go directly to the skillet where the Toppings/Fillings & Sauce are awaiting.
Pizza Pasta Sauce
This is an impressive Tomato Sauce that I created messing around with a Pizza Seasoning. Even the seasoning itself smells like Pizza. It’s really easy to make too. Just throw the ingredients together in a Saucepot and heat through to dissolve the bouillon cube. You could also just use Broth powder, in which case you only need to mix it. Weigh out 600g for the recipe and save any leftover Sauce for Pizza, Pitza or Pita Pizza as a snack later on.
Pizza Pasta Sauce Ingredients
- 1 Cup Tomato Paste, Tomato Juice & Water, each
- 3 Tbl Butter
- 2 Tbl Pizza Seasoning
- 1 Bouillon Cube (Beef, Chicken, Pork or Vegetable) or equivalent in Powder
- 1 tsp Sea Salt & Sugar, each
- Black Pepper to taste
Ingredients for Pizza Seasoning
- 1/2 Tbl each of Dried Basil & dehydrated minced Onion
- 1 tsp Oregano
- 3/4 tsp dehydrated minced Garlic
- 1/2 tsp each of Marjoram, ground Thyme, ground Rosemary, Savory
- 1/8 tsp Red Chili Flakes
Pizza Toppings
Pick and choose any Toppings you want, just keep the total amount of Toppings at about 1/2 lb – 1 lb.
Cook up any Toppings that need to be cooked in the skillet, before adding the Pasta to the pot of boiling water. If your Toppings can be cooked up by the time your Pasta is done, then cook your Toppings when you add the Pasta to the pot.
Pepperoni
One of the best Pepperoni’s out there. You don’t need much. Just about 20 slices. Of course you can add more. You can leave these whole, half, quartered or roughly chopped or sliced into thin strips.
Ground Beef
Cook ground Beef with a splash of Worcestershire or Soy Sauce.
Or use 1/2 lb Ground Beef mixed with 1/2 tsp Beef Broth Powder, 1/4 tsp MSG, 1/8 tsp Baking Powder. Optionally, portion using 1/2 tsp, and shape into tiny round meatballs and cook beforehand.
Italian Sausage
Either store bought or Homemade Italian Sausage cooked like ground Beef or portioned using 1/2 tsp, and shape into tiny elongated meatballs and cook beforehand. About 2 Italian Sausages is good.
Bacon
Mince the Bacon and then fry in the skillet until crisp beforehand. About 4-6 slices is good. Save the Bacon grease for other recipes.
Onion & Peppers
Dice any Onions & Peppers. Optionally cook a bit to soften before adding in the Sauce. A small Onion and 1/2 a Bell Pepper is good or more if you want.
Mushrooms
Optionally sear Mushrooms in Bacon Fat after cooking the Bacon, or use a bit of Oil. About 5-8 Mushrooms, sliced or more.
Combined Toppings
All the Toppings/Fillings can also be cooked individually and combined to add to the skillet with the Sauce to heat through for about 5 minutes over medium heat before adding in the cooked Pasta.
1 lb total of toppings or less is fine. Ground Beef, Mushrooms, Onions, Pepperoni.
Cheese
Mozzarella Cheese will be your go to, or the 3:1 Mozzarella & Provolone Cheese. Which is just a wonderful Cheese blend and can really elevate a dish. There are all kinds of other Cheeses that can be sprinkled over top or included with the Mozzarella Cheese.
Mozza & Provolone
While Mozzarella Cheese can be used. Using a blend of Mozza & Provolone is just something else.
Combine 3 parts shredded Mozzarella Cheese & 1 part shredded Provolone Cheese in a freezer bag and mix well.
Use about 200g of Shredded Cheese. The rest can be frozen.
Parmigiano Reggiano
If making Pizzetti (Pizza Spaghetti) or other long Pastas, plate the long Pasta and finely grate Parmigiano Reggiano cheese on top. Optionally, a Béchamel cheese sauce can be drizzled over the plated long pasta.
Pizza Pasta Bake
A Pizza Pasta Bake is the prepared Pizza Pasta emptied into single serve au gratin dishes and then topped with shredded Cheese to melt in the oven.
Pizzatoni Pasta Bake
Baked in the oven at 450 F for about 10 minutes. Rest to cool down before serving.
Pizza Pasta Casserole
Just the same as the Pizza Pasta bake, except all contents are emptied into a Casserole dish to be topped with Cheese before being baked.
Pizza Pasta Melt
With a Pizza Pasta Melt, add in shredded Mozzarella Cheese or a Mozzarella Cheese Blend. Right on top of everything in the skillet and then cover. Remove from heat and let it rest to just barely melt the Cheese, about 5 minutes. Resulting in, well…it’s just nice, it’s just very nice.
In the case of Pizzetti (Spaghetti), you can make a Béchamel White Cheese Sauce to drizzle over. After the Spaghetti has been plated for a classy presentation and/or finely grate Parmigiano Reggiano on top.
Pizzappi Melt
With Ground Beef, Onions, Italian Sausage and Shredded Mozzarella Cheese. Garnished with Parsley & Aleppo.
Pizzaroni Melt
With Ground Beef, Onions, Pepperoni, Italian Sausage Nuggets and Shredded Mozzarella Cheese.
For the Pizza Pasta melt, keep the total Pasta amount at 300g, for good Filling to Cheese ratio. I have made this with 400g & 350g of Pasta and found 300g is ideal for a Pizza Pasta melt. This is enough for 4 good portions.
How to make Pizza Pasta
All of this is going to come together while the Pasta is cooking in about 15 minutes for Cavatappi, Rotini, Rigatoni, Penne and other thick and short pastas, or 8-10 minutes for Macaroni or 10-12 minutes for Spaghetti, adjust accordingly. Since Macaroni or Spaghetti only takes about 8-12 minutes to cook. Cook the meat filling at medium high to high so it is ready much quicker and the Sauce can be added to heat through and await the Pasta.
Prepare the Pizza Pasta Sauce
First prepare the Pizza Pasta Sauce and weigh out 600g to set it aside for the Pizza Pasta. Any leftover Sauce can be used to make Pizzas as a snack later on.
At the same time, place 16 Cups of Water into a Pasta Pot with 2 Tbl of Sea Salt on the back burner and bring it to a boil.
Get Your Ingredients Together
For this example, we’re using
- 1/2 lb Ground Beef
- 2 Italian Sausages with the skin removed
- 1 diced Onion
- 600 g Pizza Pasta Sauce
- 300 g Cavatappi Pasta
- 200 g Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
Cook the Ingredients
Add the Cavatappi Pasta to the Boiling water to boil for 15 minutes while mixing every so often. At the same time, add the Ground Beef & Sausage to the Skillet and set over medium heat to break down the meat and cook through, about 10 minutes.
Pizza Pasta Sauce
Add the prepared and weighed out Pizza Pasta Sauce (600g) to the Skillet with the Meat to cook for 5 minutes, mixing every so often. If it splatters too much just remove it from the heat to reheat again when the Pasta is added.
Pasta
When the Pasta is ready, add the Pasta straight from the pot to the skillet with the Meat & Sauce. Mix and continue to cook for a few minutes while mixing.
Hot Pizza Pasta
After mixing through and piping hot, you’re ready to add the shredded Cheese for a Pizza Pasta Melt.
Add the Cheese
Sprinkle the Cheese on top. Cover and remove from the heat to rest 5 minutes or so, until the Cheese is just melted. Serve right away. Optionally garnish with Parlsey & Aleppo.
Equipment
- 1 Pasta Pot with inner basket, tongs or spider
- 1 Digital Scale
- 1 Large Skillet with Lid
- 2 Bowls for the weighed out Pizza Pasta Sauce & Cheese
Ingredients
- 300 g Pasta
- 16 C Water
- 2 Tbl Sea Salt
- 400 g Choice of Pizza Toppings/Fillings - anywhere from 1/2 lb – 1 lb total
- 600 g Pizza Pasta Sauce - prepared
- 200 g Mozzarella Cheese - or 3:1 Mozza & Provolone Cheese Blend
Instructions
- Fill the Pasta pot up with 16 cups of water & 2 Tbl of Sea Salt to bring to a boil on the back burner. Weigh out 300g of Pasta and set aside.Prepare the Pizza Pasta Sauce and weigh out 600g into a bowl, set aside for now.Prepare your choice of Toppings/Fillings to get a total of 1/2 lb – 1 lb.Shred the Cheese, weighing out 200g, and set aside.
- Add the Pasta to the Boiling water and boil until the pasta is al dente. Cook any toppings that need to be cooked in the skillet. Optionally add any Cured Meats or Vegetables to fry briefly right before adding the sauce.In some cases, depending on your toppings. They will need to be cooked before adding the pasta to the pot.
- When about 5 minutes of cook time remain for the Pasta, add the Pizza Pasta Sauce to heat through over medium heat and await the Pasta. If it splatters too much, remove it from the heat to await the pasta.
- Once the pasta is Al Dente, strain out with the inner basket or use a spider to scoop out all the short pasta or tongs for long pasta and add it directly to the skillet with the Fillings & Sauce. Mix well and continue to cook for a few minutes while mixing. It can be served like this for Pizza Pasta, usually with long pasta like Spaghetti or Cheese added for a Pizza Pasta Melt.
- Sprinkle Cheese on top, cover and remove from the heat to rest for about 5 minutes before serving.