Got Leftover Pasta? Make a Frittata!

Issue #81

What do you do with leftover pasta? Reheat it? Eat it cold straight out of the fridge the next day? No judgment if you do, but since moving to Rome I’ve learned that often the best thing to do with leftover pasta is to make a frittata. 

The origins of the frittata are up for debate (some sources trace them back to 18th-century Naples, others to ancient Rome or even Mesopotamia), but one thing is for sure: modern-day Romans love a good frittata. It’s a great way to use up leftovers and is the perfect, simple dish whether you’re cooking just for yourself or for a crowd. It can be eaten hot, right out of the pan, cut up and served to a crowd, or packed up and taken on a picnic. Sometimes you’ll even see Italians eating a frittata for lunch on the beach.

So how do you make a good frittata? Honestly, I never use a recipe or measure the ingredients I put into a frittata, so take the recipe below with a grain of salt. This is just a guideline to help you get started.

Pasta Frittata

Serves 1-6 (see notes below about size)

Ingredients:

• Leftover pasta (about 70 grams per person)

• 2 eggs per person

• Butter or olive oil

• Salt and pepper

• Parmigiano Reggiano or other cheese (optional)

Directions:

The main thing to keep in mind about making a frittata is getting the proportion of egg to pasta right. I use two eggs per person and choose a pan depending on how many people I’m cooking for. If I’m just cooking for myself, I use a small pan. If I’m cooking for myself and Marco, I use a medium-sized pan. I never actually measure out the amount of leftover pasta, but it should be just enough to fill the pan. You can use just about any pasta for this—spaghetti with tomato sauce, mezze maniche all’amatriciana, etc. 

Start by cracking the eggs in a bowl, beating them with a whisk, and adding some salt and pepper. Set that aside while you heat a bit of butter or olive oil in your pan over medium heat. Add the pasta to the pan and use a wooden spoon to distribute it evenly. Add the Parmigiano Reggiano or other cheese if using. Warm it up for a couple of minutes, then pour the beaten eggs into the pan. The eggs will seep into the crevices between the pasta and start to form a solid mass. Don’t worry if the eggs don’t go all the way up to the top of the pan—just make sure there’s enough to coat all the pasta, using a spatula to do so if needed. 

Run your spatula along the edge of the pan to prevent the frittata from sticking. If I’m just making a small frittata for myself, I cook it for about three minutes on each side, but if you’re making a larger frittata, you’ll need to cook it longer. Don’t put the flame too high or the outside will burn before the inside sets.

About halfway through the cooking time, flip the frittata by first loosening it up with the spatula, then placing a cutting board on top of the pan and inverting the whole thing so the frittata falls upside down onto the cutting board. Then slide the frittata back into the pan with the less cooked side down. Continue to cook it for a few more minutes, then serve.

Some recipes will tell you to transfer your frittata to the oven to finish cooking, but if you’re cooking a small frittata, that’s not necessary. Also keep in mind that this recipe is endlessly adaptable. You don’t even have to use pasta at all—use leftover risotto, vegetables, cheese, or whatever else you want.

Further Reading

• Check out this ode to the humble frittata by

  Giulia Scarpaleggia
  and subscribe to her Substack
  Letters from Tuscany
  .

• Giulia also shared a recipe for a spaghetti frittata with This Splendid Table. 

• You can see all the recipes in the New Roman Times archive here.