Growing up, leftover pasta was always transformed into a frittata which was a crowd-pleaser and my mother's specialty. It's delicious, easy to assemble in 30 minutes, and works with any pasta, especially leftovers. Bake it as creamy and cheesy as you want it.
Pasta and egg dish
This frittata is a hearty way of using leftover pasta.
It has eggs and different types of cheese, so you get the flavor and soft, creamy bites.
At my house, we loved the frittata (or tortilla, as we call it) that appeared at the table the next day after a pasta meal.
Adding eggs and cheese made this a leftover dish we eagerly looked forward to.
When your mother doesn’t cook, lunch and dinner can be pretty challenging. And not always something to look forward to, lol. But this is a star dish of hers, that also works amazingly well with leftover tomato sauce pasta.
The tortilla is crusty on both sides. After the bottom is cooked to a golden brown, the whole thing is flipped over (with a special skillet or the aid of a plate or a flat pot lid) and returned to the skillet to finish cooking.
Let me tell you, there was much pride in how well you flipped the tortilla back then, just like with pancakes. It's of Spanish origin.
A frittata is finished in the oven, which makes it oh.so.simple!
So the tortilla crust is similar on all sides, and the frittata has a smooth bottom, but the top is irregular and usually less crusty. It hails from Italy.
Yes, you can. It keeps well for several days in the fridge, well covered or in an airtight container to prevent dryness.
This is a great dish to make and freeze!
Similar to what we suggest when making our homemade quiche recipe, you can have one in the freezer and pop it in the oven (medium, 350°F/180°CC) for a last-minute frittata dinner. Or lunch.
Always wrap it well. I recommend first plastic wrap and then aluminum or use a freezer-safe container. It lasts a month, sometimes more.
Vegetables and deli meats: If you have roasted or leftover veggies (mushrooms, tomatoes, red peppers, onion, etc), you can add them to the egg mixture. Chopped spinach, arugula and fresh basil also go well.
The same goes for ham, bacon or pancetta and other meats that you think go with the pasta you're using.
Use any combination of pasta shape and sauce you have. I have also used corn and tomato pasta, jalapeño arugula pasta, spaghetti with tomato sauce or meatballs and other types of leftover sauced pasta.
Ingredients
- Pasta: leftovers or fresh, they all work. I used leftovers from the Charred Corn Asparagus Spaghetti.
- Binding agents: we need to add eggs to bind it all together. This recipe uses cream for richness and creaminess.
- Seasonings: it is essential to add a nice dose of salt, pepper, herbs, spices, or whatever suits your taste buds. If the cheese is too salty, you must go easy on the extra salt. Besides that, even if your leftover pasta is well seasoned, you're adding many extra ingredients, so don't skimp on flavor.
- Cheeses: it adds lots of flavor. Consider the cheeses you use and adjust the salt in your seasoning.
How to make pasta frittata
Mix all the ingredients in a bowl before adding them to the skillet. A cast-iron skillet is fitting for this type of dish, but you can use a stainless steel skillet or a baking dish.
Cook it on the stove and finish it in the oven. That's pretty much it.
Start with the add-ins: use whatever leftover pasta you have (I love it with tomato sauce also), and add the cheeses and herbs if using. Season it well!
Add eggs: beat eggs in a separate bowl and add to the spaghetti, or make a well in the center, add the eggs, and mix with a fork. Check seasonings.
Cooking it: cook first on the stove until a light crust develops. Scatter cheese over it and finish it in the oven.
Vintage Kitchen Tip
As with any egg-based recipe, you can have it more or less baked, juicy, and not dry. So take that into account when you take it out of the oven. It should still slightly jiggle in the center.
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Leftover Pasta Frittata
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Ingredients
- 1 pound leftover pasta
- 6 eggs
- ½ cup hard cheese, such as parmesan and/or cheddar, grated
- ⅓ cup melting cheese, such as mozzarella, grated
- 3-4 tablespoons cream
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- Salt and pepper
- 1-2 tablespoons butter or olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC).
- In a large bowl mix eggs, cream and seasonings.
- Add pasta and half of the hard cheese and all of the melting cheese.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Melt butter or oil in a cast iron skillet over low heat.
- Add the egg/pasta mixture and let cook without stirring for about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Scatter the extra cheese on top.
- The egg will start to cook on the outside, but the middle will be very wet still.
- Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake in the middle rack for 7 or 8 minutes, until the middle is almost firm. Set the oven to broil and the temperature to 400ºF (200ºC).
- Broil it for 5 more minutes so the top begins to set, or until you feel it's done to your liking, some people like it well done.
- Remove carefully using oven mitts or a thick kitchen towel , add chopped parsley and serve.
VeniceParrish says
I was looking for a quick easy way to use leftover pasta and I found a good one. I added a few extra things like onions, garlic and mushrooms and it was delicious!
angiesrecipes says
Such a fun and creative way to use up the leftover noodles.
Nancy @ gottagetbaked says
This is one of the most perfect dishes I've seen in a long time, Paula. I agree - there's nothing better than reheated pasta, eggs and cheese. Plus it's a fabulous way of cleaning out the fridge by throwing any leftover meat/veggies in there. Your mom sounds kick ass - more stories please!
Kathy says
Paula, This is a fabulous recipe…It’s even something that my hubby would eat! Perfect for brunch, too!
Alice @ Hip Foodie Mom says
Paula,
and you keep the fabulous recipes coming .. I love it! I could have sworn I commented on this one. . I love this one so much. . definitely a recipe we all can relate with and make!
Your mother sounds like a hoot! so much fun .. love that her Leftover pasta tortilla was her signature dish 🙂 and isn't it funny when mothers remember things a certain way that is actually not at all how it actually was in real life?! 🙂 love all the links too!
Jamie says
Um, did we have the same mother? You described mine perfectly! And making a frittata out of leftover pasta - which we have often - does cross my mind and I have no idea why I don't make it. Yours looks so scrumptious and I'll definitely be making one soon. Perfect dinner, I think!
Patty Price says
Love this Paula- would be good for breakfast, lunch or dinner-that's my kind of multi purpose recipe!
Thanks for sharing both your special recipe and the links- wish I had a slice of your pasta frittata just in case I build up an appetite doing all that reading 😉
easyfoodsmith says
A clever way to use that left over pasta. It has yielded such a delicious looking frittata. It actually doesn't look like a dish made from left overs 😉