Pasta Frittata with Fixins

If you’re anything like me, when you make pasta, you’ve often got some leftovers on your hands that tend to live out the rest of their lives tucked away in the back corners of your fridge, stuck inside some Tupperware container or the like, until you’ve decided that they’ve passed their prime and should, regrettably, be tossed. Into the trash bin they go. Regardless of whether or not you can actually relate to this scenario, this recipe makes a fantastic and maybe less expected use of regular ole pasta or noodles, piling them up into a thick frittata laced with delicious sharp cheddar cheese. Friends, I’m so very happy to introduce you to the Pasta Frittata.

If you’re unfamiliar, a frittata is like a baked omelette – Italy’s answer to France’s famed egg dish. They are supremely low-maintenance, however, much more appealing than an omelette in that regard. They bake up right in the pan, taking on the shape of whatever skillet or vessel in which you choose to prepare them. No need for fussy flipping or flopping or tri-folding or any such tom foolery. (I’m kidding. I love an omelette, I really do). But there is such an ease to frittatas, and such an infinite number of things you can do in, on and around them, that I find them to be a totally indispensable cooking trick to keep up your sleeve or tucked away in your back pocket.

I absolutely love doing a pasta version of a frittata, because it’s such a perfect way to breathe new life into leftover noodles (which, again, I always seem to have). You can scale this recipe way down, and even make a mini frittata, for one, in a small skillet. That’s great if you only have a small amount of pasta to use. Or, as in the case of this recipe, you can prepare a big batch of fresh noodles, solely for the purpose of crisping them up into a delicious frittata.

This one is super straightforward: along with our beaten eggs and cooked noodles, we’ll add a bunch of sharp cheddar cheese and just some salt and pepper to season. That’s all you really need. BUT. If the spirit moves you to do so, you could add roasted peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, spinach and artichokes, goat cheese, olives and feta … etc. Endless possibilities, you see? The same goes for the fixins – just pile your frittata to high heaven with whatever goodies you happen to have, and then bask in the glory of just how incredibly resourceful, creative and UN-wasteful you are.

Pasta Frittata with Fixins

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Sometimes referred to as spaghetti cake, this simple pasta-fortified frittata is a wonderful way to put great use to leftover noodles of any sort. Or, you can make a fresh batch of pasta for the occasion – we do that all the time. This makes a fun brunch spread, piled to high heaven with any toppings you see fit. 

• Author: Lauren McDuffie

Ingredients

4 to 5 cups cooked pasta, long-shaped noodles are preferred here

6 eggs, beaten

1 cup shredded cheddar

Salt and pepper, as needed

¼ olive oil, plus extra as needed 

Desired toppings: such as sliced avocado, cherry tomatoes, prosciutto, and scallions

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Instructions

Put the pasta in a large mixing bowl. Add the eggs, shredded cheddar, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Toss until everything is well mixed. 

Add the oil into a large oven-proof skillet set over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the pasta mixture. Cook, pressing down on the contents of the pan, until the bottom is set (it will begin to pull away from the sides of the pan); about 8 to 10 minutes. 

Meanwhile, preheat your broiler and adjust your rack to the middle position.

Using a large plate or baking sheet (place it over the pan), flip out the frittata, add a bit more oil to the skillet, and the put the frittata back, this time with the uncooked side down. Place the skillet in the oven and broil until the top is golden brown; just a few minutes is all it should take. 

Serve warm, in slices, with desired toppings.