Donna Italian Beef and Spinach Pie

This tastes as good as it looks.

Crust
3 ounces (2 cups dry) medium noodles
1 large egg, lightly beaten

Tomato Meat Sauce
1/2 pound lean ground beef
3 ounces low fat Italian sausage
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 pound mushrooms, sliced
1/2 medium red pepper, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
15 ounces tomato sauce
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
salt and pepper to taste

Spinach Layer
10 ounces frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
2/3 cup fat-free ricotta cheese
2/3 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Topping
1/3 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 large tomato, diced
1/4 cup fat-free sour cream

Preheat oven to 350 degree. Butter a deep-dish 9-inch pie pan. In a medium saucepan, cook noodles in salted boiling water until al dente. Rinse under cold water and drain. In a small bowl, mix noodles and egg. Press into bottom of pie pan. Set aside. In a large skillet, combine ground beef, Italian sausage, and onions. Cook over medium high heat until meat is brown and cooked through.

Remove from pan and drain on a paper towel to remove excess fat. Discard fat from skillet. Add mushrooms, peppers, and garlic. Cook until tender. Add meat back to skillet. Add tomato sauce and Italian seasoning. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside. In a small bowl, combine spinach, ricotta and 2/3 cup mozzarella cheese. Spread spinach mixture in pie pan over the noodles. Spoon meat sauce on top. Bake for 35 – 40 minutes or until heated through. Top with 1/3 cup mozzarella cheese and place in oven for 2 minutes more or until cheese is melted. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting. Serve with chopped fresh tomatoes and a dollop of sour cream.

Serves 4

Nutritional Information per serving:
Calories 495
Fat, gm. 23
Protein, gm. 36
Carb. gm. 36
Cholesterol, mg. 170
Fiber, gm 5.8