2012-03-05-BroccoliFrittata1.jpgWhat, you've never had spaghetti for breakfast before? Here's your chance! This recipe starts as soon as you finish dinner. Mix your leftover pasta and steamed broccoli with some eggs and cheese, and toss it in the oven. By the time you're finished with the dishes, breakfast for the week is done.

2012-03-05-BroccoliFrittata5.jpg2012-03-05-BroccoliFrittata2.jpgOf course, you shouldn't feel limited to just spaghetti and broccoli in this dish. Leftover sausage, a cup of wilted greens, some crumbled tofu, and the last few roasted potatoes could all find a happy home here, along with any other odds and ends in your refrigerator. The eggs bind everything together into a sturdy casserole that will fuel your whole morning.

This frittata will warm beautifully in the microwave or toaster oven and is the perfect companion to a slice of buttered toast. If you're pressed for time, wrap a square in a napkin and nibble it on your way to work. This is one breakfast where crumbs and utensils won't be an issue.

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Broccoli & Spaghetti Frittata
serves 8

About 2 teaspoons butter or nonstick cooking spray
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups (8 ounces) broccoli florets and sliced stems, steamed or blanched (see below)
Pinch red pepper flakes
10 large eggs
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
A few turns of freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 cups (5 ounces) grated cheese (Emmentaler, Gruyere, Cheddar, Monterey Jack, or mixed)
2 cups cooked spaghetti

Lightly butter or spray a 13 x 9 inch baking pan and preheat the oven to 400°F.

Warm the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook until it's soft and beginning to turn golden. Stir in the garlic and cook for thirty seconds. Add the broccoli, pepper flakes, and a healthy pinch of salt. Sauté until broccoli is fragrant and well-coated with garlic, oil and onion. Turn off heat.

Beat the eggs until well-mixed and frothy. Add the salt, a few cracks of pepper, and the cheese to the beaten eggs. Arrange the spaghetti evenly on the bottom of the buttered baking dish and top with the blanched broccoli. Pour the egg mixture over everything.

Bake for 18-20 minutes, until the eggs are set, the casserole is beginning to turn golden around the edges, and a knife inserted into the middle comes out clean. Serve warm, room temperature, or cold. Leftovers can be kept covered and refrigerated for up to a week.

To Blanch the Broccoli:

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Have a bowl with ice water ready nearby. Add a tablespoon of salt to the boiling water and blanch the broccoli for 1 minute, until tender but still slightly crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and plunge immediately into the ice water to stop the cooking. Drain and pat dry.

2012-03-05-BroccoliFrittata3.jpgRelated: Breakfast Leftovers for Lunch: The Frittata Sandwich

This recipe was first published in 2006 by Vanessa Barrington, one of The Kitchn's earliest original contributors. You can now find Vanessa, her writing, and her cookbooks at her website: Vanessa Barrington.

(Images: Emma Christensen)