The Quirky Illinois Dish That Combines 2 Classic Comfort Foods

Some real foodie masterpieces have come about by combining unlike foods, such as Elvis Presley's beloved peanut butter and banana sandwich or Buffalo chicken lasagna. On paper, spaghetti and pizza have some overt similarities — they are both Italian in origin and feature carbs and marinara sauce as critical ingredients — but do they belong together in a culinary mash-up? If you live in Illinois, the answer is "yes."

A hyper-regional dish akin to the Fall River chow mein sandwich of South Coast New England in terms of national visibility (which is to say, nearly nonexistent), spaghetti pizza was reportedly invented by Angelo's Pizzeria of the greater Chicago area. If the name of the food calls to mind a bit of a sloppy mess, you aren't entirely mistaken. Basically, when spaghetti pizza is made, pizza dough is rolled out, slathered in tomato sauce, and then topped with spaghetti and possibly cheese and other pizza toppings like sausage, peppers, or pepperoni. 

The result is a slice of pizza that is far too messy to eat by hand, unless you want a lap full of pasta. In fact, it's a little bit like a casserole. Kids go crazy for it, while adults either love or hate the novelty of it all. Angelo's still serves spaghetti pizza on its menu, but several other local Italian restaurants have gotten in on the game, dishing up their own spins on the unique meal.

If you are outside Illinois, restaurant-caliber spaghetti pizza might be inaccessible (though some other places have very similar dishes, including Rosa Rosa Pizzeria in Lancaster, Pennsylvania). That doesn't mean that you can't make your own, however. Know that it's a little more complex of a process than simply dumping a pot of pasta on top of a Domino's pie, although not by very much. Beyond that ease, the flexibility and easy customization of spaghetti pizza are super appealing if you are feeding a family, as there's plenty of room to make it your own with favorite toppings. 

Leftover spaghetti is great for this dish, as it will have probably dried up a bit and won't be as likely to slide off your crust. Use your cheese of choice — Italian dishes taste great with a mix of Parmesan and mozzarella — as a sort of glue to hold your noodles in place. Rich meats taste excellent and cut through the starchiness of pasta and crust, or pile your pizza high with veggies. Or, better yet, why not add both?

Note that "spaghetti pizza" is also a commonly used name for a more authentic Italian dish (also called pizza di spaghetti), which celeb chef Giada De Laurentiis makes with leftover pasta. Mixed with egg and a binder like breadcrumbs or parm, the noodles are shaped into a pie and baked, coming out as a cross between a frittata and a pie. The wedges can then be dipped in Alfredo or marinara sauce.