We've been writing quite a bit about frittatas lately. Emma's working on mastering them; Faith made a beautiful lemon and leek one. This is our favorite frittata trick, one we learned early in life. In fact, we ate this so often growing up that we thought all frittatas had spaghetti running through them...
Tip: Put Leftover Pasta in Your Frittata
The one above has remnants of this pasta in it, and it was a very delicious (and cheap!) dinner a couple of nights ago.
Pasta plays a similar role as potatoes in a classic Tortilla Española. It adds some heft and firmness to a simple frittata, making it more than a glorified omelette. It makes a big slice of frittata a very filling meal.
Plain, cooked pasta works well and won't compete with the other ingredients or flavors you were planning to add, but we've thrown in pasta that's already covered in cheese or mixed up with vegetables. You really can't go wrong, although we don't think a heavy tomato sauce would set up well with the egg filling.
For ours, we sautéed some onion and mushrooms we had on hand, then threw in the spaghetti (which was coated in mascarpone, lemon, and spinach) so it had a chance to warm up and sizzle a bit. Then we poured over the eggs that had been scrambled with some milk and added a big handful of parmesan cheese.
It helped clear out a few containers in our fridge and solved the problem of what to eat for dinner. Win-win, we say.
Who else adds pasta to their frittatas?
Related: Cooking with Leftovers: Bubble and Squeak
(Image: Elizabeth Passarella)
Comments (13)
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mmm, yes. my mom makes hers like this and it was my first introduction to frittatas too.
view youreacigarette's profile
Adding pasta to a fritatta is a Sicilian custom. Usually, a thiner version of Bucatini is used and I actually have used angel hair in the past and it's worked very well.
I also usually add some fresh ricotta to the pasta (not the supermarket variety), as well as olive oil and black pepper. Plain pasta is, well, just a little too plain.
I recently did a guest post on Katheats.com about my lunch which included pasta fritatta (there are some photos!): http://www.katheats.com/index.php?s=scordo&searchbutton=Search! (scroll down a bit).
My favorite fritatta recipe, however, is onion and thinly sliced potato, here' the recipe:
http://www.scordo.com/blog/2008/12/recipe-onion-and-potato-fritta.html
Best,
Vince
view Scordo.com's profile
I absolutely thought a frittata had noodles in them always, too! My Dad makes an excellent one as well, and this is how we ate 'em growing up.
view STLcolleen's profile
pasta in frittata is very good but I just love frittata made with leftover white rice (often with curry powder and mint leaves)... yummy!
view plch's profile
What a good idea! I always seem to have little scoops of pasta leftover that aren't enough for a full meal, but that I don't want to throw away. Thanks, Elizabeth!
view EmmaC's profile
My favorite is with leftover STUFFING. Sometimes I just make stuffing to fill a frittata! http://mylastbite.wordpress.com/2008/11/28/leftovers-stuffing-frittata/
view MyLastBite's profile
I grew up with this, too, and I still make it for a quick lunch some days. I also use the frozen brown rice from Trader Joe's the same way--toast it up for a few minutes in the pan before adding the eggs.
view katef's profile
Yum! Kinda like a kugel (sp?)
view Dana McCauley's profile
That's such a great idea. I always put roasted red peppers in mine and top them off with a giant scoop of goat cheese (if anyone out there is new to making them, try this recipe - it's so easy and amazing: http://iamthebeholder.wordpress.com/2009/02/25/spanish-tortilla-for-my-lil-party-tonight/)
view Wiglet's profile
Don't they? Have pasta running through them...every frittata. We ate a lot of Italian in our house, since the mom/cook/boss was Italian, and we called it spaghetti pie. She would fry leftover spaghetti, red sauce and all, though never runny red sauce, until it was just this side of crispy (probably tossed in some freshly chopped onion and garlic, too), then poured on the eggs mixed up with salt, pepper, a squirt of water or milk and some cheese (whatever was handy) and cooked till the pie was brown on both sides. Served it with leftover red sauce or just ketchup. We liked it almost better than the original dish. Delicious.
view 39520expat's profile
I made this last night-- fantastic!
view aleec's profile
we call this 'spaghetti pie'. the only thing my grandfather could cook.
view LegsBattaglia's profile
Pasta is a great idea I have not tried but certainly will.
I usually put any left over rice in mine. Actually I make too much rice so I can make a frittata the next day!
www/sailsybaris.com
view SailingSybaris's profile