Spaghetti and Meatball Pot Pie

Remember those meatballs I made for a “special idea” on Friday? Here is that idea, Spaghetti and Meatball Pot Pie.  

Before you mistakenly think I am a cooking whiz, I am actually just an opportunist. I saw the “Pizza Pot Pie” from Chicago Pizza and Oven Grinder Company on TV and told myself I am going to make that. Then Steph of Plain Chicken beatme to it and made her version last week.

I took the concept and figured if pizza was a good pot pie, then spaghetti and meat balls would be too. This isn't as much a recipe as it is a process.

I started by greasing the inside of ramekins (1 cup sized, 3 1/2” in diameter). Then I put in a mix of white and mild cheddar cheese. 

Next I add in two of the meatballs and sauce.

Top that with some vermicelli that had been tossed in the sauce too.

Another piece of cheese.

For the crust, we made one order of our standard pizza dough and then cut out 3 1/2” circles. You can make your own, buy a ball from your local pizzeria, or even use refrigerated dough.

I rolled those out a little bigger and then pressed them over the top of the ramekins.

Since I wanted the crust to be reminiscent of garlic bread, I made a glaze of butter, roasted garlic, parsley and thyme. I brushed them once at the beginning and then again during the baking.

I fired up Alexis' Big Green Egg to 450f and set it up in “convection oven” mode with the plate setter legs down.

I baked the pot pies on a pizza stone on the plate setter. You could do these in your oven or in a regular grill set up indirect, but in my opinion, this is where the ceramic cookers like Big Green Egg and Primo can't be beat.

About 15 minutes in, they started to brown.

We gave them the second baste of garlic butter and then let them go another 5 minutes.

They are done when the crust is crispy and golden. Carefully remove to a rack and let cool for a few minutes.

Invert the pot pie on a plate and remove the ramekin to serve. The trick is to give the bowl a sharp twist and then pull up.

The only question now is, do you eat it with your hands or with a knife and fork?

Garnished with red pepper flake and parsley.

These were seriously good.  It was like baked spaghetti in a garlic bread bowl. 

The only two things I would do differently the next time is double the cheese and invert it as soon as I can tolerate handling the ramekin. I let it sit too long and the cheese had started to harden.

I absolutely can't wait to try this again. We impressed ourselves with this one.