Favorite meal: Torta di Pasta

This is one of Giada's recipes, and I've made it five or six times. It turns out like a pasta-quiche-pie sort of thing that you cut into wedges. (It isn't as mushy as a quiche; the noodles stay intact and stick together to form the tort.) I just love it!

Giada's Torta di Pasta

8 ounces spaghetti
1/2 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped
4 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3/4 cup grated Parmesan
3/4 cup grated fontina (a soft cheese I get from Trader Joe's)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
I also add 1/2 to 1 tsp Italian seasoning with the egg mixture

Cook the spaghetti in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Drain. Toss with the sun-dried tomatoes. Set aside to cool completely (otherwise, the hot pasta could curdle the eggs when you add them later on). It helps to spread the noodle-tomato mix onto a cookie sheet; this helps it cool faster.

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, salt, pepper, Parmesan, fontina, and Italian seasoning to blend. Add the cooled spaghetti mixture; toss to coat.

Preheat the broiler. Melt the butter and oil in a 9 1/2-inch-diameter nonstick* skillet over medium heat. Transfer the spaghetti mixture to the skillet, pressing to form an even layer. Cook until the bottom is golden brown, about 3 minutes. Transfer the skillet to the broiler. Broil until the top is golden brown, about 5 minutes. Cool in the skillet for at least a few minutes.

Invert the torta onto a platter. Cut into wedges. Giada says to serve at room temperature, but I like it a little warmer.

*My nonstick skillets do not tolerate the broiler's heat, so I use my regular stainless steel skillet.

Other recommendations: Jon doesn't love sundried tomatoes, so I pick them out of one part of the torta before I put the skillet in the broiler. Other good things to add in addition to or instead of the tomatoes are chopped mushrooms, peppers (haven't done these but would work well), black olives, or most anything you can think of!