Sunday, September 12, 2010

Spaghetti Frittata





From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Our nest had been empty for about two weeks when I learned the wisdom of cooking no more than could be eaten in one sitting. That included some of our favorite pasta dishes. I hate waste and am not fond of reheated noodles, so you can imagine the bemusement on the face of the Silver Fox when I started to make a frittata with deliberately left-over spaghetti. A recipe, found in Eating Well Magazine, convinced me to try a spaghetti frittata, but I wanted to adapt and expand it to include ingredients that are also used in spaghetti carbonara. The recipe was touted as a money saver because it minimized waste by using food that might otherwise be thrown away. Apparently, a family of four trashes nearly $600 of food every year. Before I go any further, let me say this is a nice recipe and it produces an unusual dish that might please those with bored palates. There's not a thing wrong with it. If you have half a pound of cooked spaghetti lying around, it's a good way to use it up. I was drawn to the recipe out of curiosity and my curiosity is now satisfied. I probably will not make this again, but if I did, I'd make some changes. I'd use capellini rather than spaghetti and I'd pour the egg mixture over still warm pasta. The theory being the custard would better coat the pasta when it is warm. As with all stovetop frittatas, there is that awful moment of truth when it must be turned. Prayer and/or swearing help. A better solution would be to bake rather than fry it. Here's the recipe.

Spaghetti Frittata...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by Eating Well Magazine

Ingredients:

8 ounces spaghetti, (or 4 cups cooked spaghetti)
1 teaspoon olive oil
4 strips uncooked bacon, diced
1-1/2 cups chopped onion
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 large eggs
2 large egg whites
1/2 cup skim milk
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 tomato, diced (optional)

Directions:
1) Cook spaghetti in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender but firm. Drain and refresh with cold water.
2) Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add bacon and cook until browned. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Transfer mixture to a small bowl and let cool slightly. Wipe out pan.
3) Whisk together eggs, egg whites and milk in a large bowl. Stir in the onions, Parmesan, parsley, basil, salt and pepper. Add spaghetti.
4) Spray pan really well with nonstick cooking spray and place over medium heat. Pour in egg mixture and distribute evenly in pan. Cook until underside is golden, moving pan around on burner to ensure even cooking, about 6 minutes. Invert a large platter over skillet, grasp platter and skillet with oven mitts and carefully turn over. Lift off skillet and spray it again with nonstick cooking spray. Slide frittata back into the skillet and cook until bottom is golden. Slide frittata onto a platter. Garnish with tomatoes, if using. Yield: 6 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Frittata with Zucchini Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Sausage - Kalyn's Kitchen
Ratatouille Frittata - Stacey Snacks
Chicken and Orzo Frittata - Cookbook Confessions
Potato Frittata - The Comfort of Cooking
Green Eggs and Ham Frittata - The Pink Apron
Penne Frittata - The Parsley Thief
Frittata with Spring Herbs and Leeks - One Perfect Bite
Smoked Salmon Frittata - One Perfect Bite

57 comments :

Mary | Deep South Dish said...

Yes, I have been known to partake in that swearing. :) Well, it sure looks terrific Mary!

Diane said...

Guess what I am having for dinner tonight? I will make a smaller quantity for myself though. Diane

penny aka jeroxie said...

That looks great! I have yet to try this. It is on my list.

Lucie said...

How interesting, Mary! I can imagine how the spaghetti pairs well with the egg--an original and satisfying recipe!

Bakericious said...

this dish looks interesting, sound delicious too.

Jeannie said...

What a coincident that I have cooked spagetti too! My version is called spagetti Oglio Olio. I am sure this frittata would go down well with my boys.

cocoa and coconut said...

Thanks for your suggestions about this recipe. I've been tempted to try frittatas featuring noodles/pasta...I guess I'm curious too! It certainly looks yummy, I think the texture would be great.

My Little Space said...

OMG, is this for real! spaghetti in frittata! Awesome.... Such a clever idea, Mary. Hope you're enjoying your day.
Cheers,Kristy

The Words Crafter said...

What an interesting recipe. This looks like something I'd experiment with, but I agree. I would bake it-much easier.

It was shocking to read about how much we throw away!

Angie's Recipes said...

Never had frittata made with spaghetti...looks simply mouthwatering.

Joanne said...

I always swear when flipping my frittatas. It's like some kind of incantation. That and omelets...although my omelets always end up as scrambled eggs. So the swearing doesn't really help much.

I really like spaghetti frittatas, but they are definitely an acquired taste to some extent! I'm glad you tried it once!

J e l e n a said...

I also love not wasting food. Yesterday I made Giada De Laurentis lassagna and I had bechamel, tomato sauce, riccota left over. Cooked the pasta covered it and sprinkled with cheese. Now I have two pasta dishes sitting in the fridge. Great job!

Big Dude said...

Sorry it wasn't a big hit, but as a leftovers kind of guy, it looks like something I might enjoy, perhaps with the addition of some cooked breakfast sausage.

Cooking Gallery said...

What a great idea, Mary! Love it!

Valerie Harrison (bellini) said...

My Italian friends make spaghetti so they will have leftovers. There is a fried spaghetti dish that uses just that, sauce and all. Love your experimental nature Mary.

Pondside said...

Good morning Mary. I'll be copying this recipe to my file because I have never figured out how to make just enough pasta to go with my sauce and I always end up giving the leftovers to the chickens. I made a frittata for the first time for the first time last month and we loved it, so I'll look forward to trying this one, with your recommendations. Perhaps I'll plunge the leftover pasta into boiling water and then drain it before adding the egg mixture.

Jen_from_NJ said...

I am struggling not to overcook or waste food in my empty nest also - so hard. Have a great day!

GLENDA CHILDERS said...

Your blog is so fun,Mary. I love it that you say that you won't make a recipe again. Also, your commentary is so delightful. Today, "prayer or swearing help." Hey, there is a great life lesson :).

Fondly,
Glenda

Anonymous said...

Your frittata looks great.
I made one once but had a difficult time keeping it together and perfecting the flip. I'll have to give it another go.
Thanks for sharing.

aipi said...

that is really a cool idea..looks delicious especially a fun idea to save left over food as you pointed out..love the second pic!!

US Masala

From the Kitchen said...

That $600 a year average for wasted food is astounding! I try hard not to be wasteful but, just this morning, had to toss some cherry tomatoes (they were from a neighbor's garden but still a waste) that we just couldn't eat fast enough. I've made pasta frittata's in various forms for years--especially when the boys were at home. Some were quite tasty. Other's weren't.

Best,
Bonnie

CaSaundraLeigh said...

Wow--I've never heard of a fritatta that used spaghetti. I am not a fan of leftover noodles either, but this recipe would be an exception I'm sure--looks good!

Anonymous said...

This looks really good - and a great solution for leftover pasta, which I always have.

PeggyR said...

That sounds yummy. I'm so glad the weather has cooled down and I can cook again!

June said...

I think it looks fabulous and honestly, how can you go wrong with bacon and eggs. Loved the "prayer and/or swearing" - there's often a lot of both going on in our kitchen. Ha.

StephenC said...

This is so "our house" in the sense that we make these types of frittatas all the time, including for lunch in a couple of hours. We often use ramen noodles which we always have in the pantry. We save the flavor packet for other uses. Also, we like to set up the bottom of the frittata on the stove, then finish in the oven. That means no flipping. Cooking for two, it's difficult not to have leftovers. I'm better at using them than I used to be. Thanks for your beautiful dish.

Katerina said...

I always feel horrified when I have to turn around a frittata or an omelet. Thanks for the tips on how to make this dish even better.

Unknown said...

THe dish sounds delicious....I have some left over fettuccine will make this out of that....

Sushma Mallya said...

Never have i used spaghetti this way, really innovative mary and very beautiful too...looks yummy...

Unknown said...

Love it Mary! This is unique and fun! I appreciate your creativity and culinary vision! Thanks!

Tanvi said...

Wow...I also dont like wasting food.This frittata looks really yummu...Loved the crusty cheese topping!

Sinfully Spicy

Susi's Kochen und Backen said...

I hate wasting food and my family is quite used to "blue plate specials" at least once a week ;o) This looks like a fantastic, quick recipe that I know my crew would enjoy! Thanks for sharing :o)

nanny said...

I guess I could eat spaghetti of some sort every night. My husband is frying fish tonight but I've been thinking about spaghetti myself......

Ginny Hartzler said...

You've got me laughing now. I won't try this today, because I don't want to swear on the Sabbath!

Adelina said...

wow- a perfect cut, Mary! Spaghetti look very loved in this bed of eggs.

Priya Suresh said...

Absolutely delicious..

Yvonne @ StoneGable said...

Mary, I love a noodle omlet, so this sounds divine! Thanks for the tips about keeping the spaghetti warm.
Another winner for dinner!
I'll make this next week. I'm posting it on my weekly menu with a link back to this post.
Easy dinner. Thanks.
Yvonne

Torviewtoronto said...

lovely presentation looks delicious

Faith said...

Mary, I love how you adopted this to include ingredients that are found in spaghetti carbonara...fantastic! What a delicious meal. I hope you're having a wonderful weekend!

Maria @ ScandiFoodie said...

This looks really good! I'd love to try this dish :-)

Marguerite said...

Sounds and looks delicious! I love the idea of a spaghetti frittata and will be placing it on my "must try" list. Thanks for the great recipe!

Allie and Pattie said...

Mary, frittatas made of leftover pasta are a staple here- yes, I use warm pasta and I do finish it in the oven. Some dollops of cheese (ricotta, mozzarella, or goat) work well too
xoxo Pattie

Prema said...

hi mari,

First time here,wounderfull space...
do visit mine if time permits.
www.premascook.com

Julie said...

Hi, Mary! It is sometimes hard to cook for just two, isn't it? We both eat the leftovers for lunch.
I've read about Pasta Frittata's. Adding this one to my "One Perfect Bite" folder of recipes to make :). Thanks, Mary!!

Chats the Comfy Cook said...

When, I was a child, my mom made, what she called noodles and egg, a much simpler dish. Cooked noodles in a fry pan, covered with eggs and seasoning. Nothing special but I was a child an my mom made it so it was delicious.

Rarely, do I make it, only when I am looking for comfort food. So, I would probably like your frittata.

Claudia said...

I hate wasting and we definintely do. Love finding ways to use leftovers. With both kids back home and in school - leftovers are becoming lunch (she says happily). The idea of a spaghetti frittata works for me. Especially if I can have yours.

Unknown said...

OMG! I grew up in a traditional Italian family that did not waste and we had this regularly. However I really didn't think anyone else outside my family made it! It wasn't my favourite (prefered freshly cooked pasta) but it is a good way to use up leftovers...and nutricious

Kerstin said...

This is interesting, although we never have a problem wasting pasta :)

Mary @Delightful Bitefuls said...

Brilliant! Love this!!

Mary xo
Delightful Bitefuls

scrambledhenfruit said...

I'm still having trouble cooking for fewer of us and we often have leftovers that I try to use for lunches. This frittata looks like a wonderful way to use those noodles- love the flavors you've used!

MaryMoh said...

Great use of left over spaghetti. It looks beautiful and delicious!

patissierement-votre said...

Such a good idea for using spagetti leftovers :)

FOODESSA said...

Although it's rare that we have left over pasta...I'll probably have to make a point of it next time ;o)
Love the ingredients you used for this very appetizing dish.

Ciao for now,
Claudia

Eliana said...

I have always wanted to try to make this but was concerned about how it would come out. Yours looks awesome so I'm scared no more :)

Melinda said...

Looks yummy!
I'd like to invite you to follow Dreaming also. :)

Melinda

Thas said...

Terrific recipe and I am going to try this soon.

BonjourRomance said...

This Spaghetti Frittata sounds delicious. I just found your blog via Yvonne @ Stone Gable. I'm a new follower, and am now off to explore some more marvelous recipes.
Mimi

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