Photo: Lynn Andriani

Just when I'd thought I'd seen every possible iteration of the famed combination of pasta, cheese, butter and milk, along comes a dish that reminds me there are always new ways to reinvent the wheel. This one just happens to be literal.

Spaghetti Pie—which I'd tell you about even if today weren't Pi Day—goes against all traditional mac ‘n’ cheese “rules”: it’s not made with shells, elbows or any other cut pasta, but spaghetti—and you don’t bake it in a casserole dish, but pan-fry it in a nonstick pan. Then you turn it out onto a cutting board and slice it into wedges using a pizza cutter. Chef and restaurateur Marc Murphy, of Landmarc and Ditch Plains restaurants in New York, started making it for his children and their friends as an after-school snack. Turns out adults love it, too. When I made it this weekend, everyone at the table, regardless of age, went back for seconds. Their mouths were clearly too full to express any disappointment over this new twist on a classic.

And if you're still looking for other versions of macaroni coated with cheddar, Parmesan or Gruyere, check out this slideshow of 11 ways to make mac 'n' cheese, from veggie-heavy to lobster-studded.

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