Baked Spaghetti Brain

Let's face it, October is the only month I can get away with a recipe like this! Why a spaghetti brain? It's pretty simple actually. I found the brain mold in one of my favorite New York City shops (Flying Tiger). Clearly it's meant for jello and other dessert-type dishes. But, as you've probably noticed, I prefer straying from what's expected.

So, I decided to whip up a pasta dish to stuff into the mold. Even without a shape, the pasta is amazing - tender noodles, marinara, pesto, copious amount of cheese, and an egg to hold it all together.

No brain mold? No problem: Prepare the dish as instructed below and press the pasta mixture into 4 to 5 mini Bundt pans or an 8-inch loaf pan. Whatever you decide to use,  make sure to spray the pan(s) with cooking spray first.

Prep ahead friendly: You can press the pasta mixture into the mold (or any pan you're using), cover with plastic and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before baking. Pull the dish from the refrigerator 30 to 45 minutes before baking (to give it a chance to come closer to room temperature).

Baked Spaghetti Brain
Not hare-brained, angel hair-brained!

Cooking spray
1/2 pound angel hair pasta or thin spaghetti
1 cup marinara sauce, plus more for serving if desired
2 tablespoons prepared basil pesto
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Coat the mold, mini Bundt pans or loaf pan with cooking spray.
Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the 1 cup marinara sauce, pesto, and egg.

Fold in the mozzarella and 2 tablespoons of the parmesan.

Add the pasta to the sauce mixture and stir to coat. Spoon the mixture into the mold (or whatever pan you're using) and press down to ensure there are no pockets of air.
Bake for 30 minutes, until set. Cool for 5 minutes before unmolding.

To unmold, place a serving plate or thin cutting board on top of the mold, flip over and tap the mold to release the pasta (if you're using a silicone mold, just pull the sides until the pasta releases).

Serve with warm marinara sauce and grated parmesan cheese on the side.

Serves 4