This spooky spaghetti is something of a tradition in our house for All Hallow’s Eve. (My kids always request my vegan hot dog mummies for Halloween dinner!) It’s so easy to make the “skulls” that it’s become one of my go-to’s for at least one night of Halloween craziness. (Who has time to waste in the kitchen when all sorts of spooky frights abound?!)

The recipe, such as it is, basically boils down to: use a straw (I use these stainless steel ones) to poke out eyes in the mushrooms. I use a pairing knife to cut the ‘nose’ area and the teeth/neck. Last year I cooked them stove top and cut in half. This year I cooked them whole and roasted them in the oven. They were a hit both times, so do whichever you please, and you won’t be disappointed!

Skull Pasta

Ingredients

• 1-2 pints (8-16 oz) medium sized organic white mushrooms
• 1 package spaghetti (I used Andean Dream quinoa GF pasta)
• 1 jar organic marinara sauce
• organic spinach, chard or kale (frozen works too! I add a little of one of these to the pasta sauce)
• OPTIONAL: Nutritional Yeast (“Nooch”) My kids love this sprinkled on top
• OPTIONAL: Violife parmesan vegan cheese My kids love this freshly grated on top

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 OR warm a skillet with a little oil over medium heat
2. Using a metal straw, poke 2 eye sockets in the mushrooms
3. Using a paring knife, cut a small triangle for the nose & a few vertical stripes in the stem for the mouth
4. Roast in the oven for about 20 minutes, or sauté for 5-10 minutes, then transfer to some paper towels to rest
5. Prepare the spaghetti according to the package directions
6. Toss the spaghetti in the sauce (and return to the pot to warm, if desired) then top with a few skulls
7. Enjoy!