In our Italian family, a good fritatta recipe was a tradition. It usually consisted of leftover spaghetti or macaroni, (as we call pasta) some parsley and parmesan cheese panfried in a skillet with a beaten egg poured over it and allowed to cook slowly until set up. I guess it was what you might call a “spaghetti omelet”.
When the fritatta was cooked, it would be about 2 inches high and as big around as the skillet it was cooked in. It would be cut into slices much like one would cut a pie. It may sound a little off beat, but it was very tasty.
The basic fritatta recipe is very easy to make. However, there are several differenct ways of preparing them. The method in which they are cooked and even ingredients differ somewhat, depending on what part of Italy one hails from. My method for fritatta is from my Grandmother who was born in southern Italy, where the diet was simple and tasty Mediterranean fare.
Times changed and my Mom didn’t seem to make them anymore. I don’t even know why. Recently I was going through some of my old recipe files and came upon the frittata recipes and decided to start the tradition again. I brought some over to my Mom. She was delilghted. She started reminiscing about her Mother who was a phenomenal cook and and all around wonderful person. Now, I make them quite often for a nice lunch or a quick dinner and, of course, I always think of my beloved Grandmother.
SPAGHETTI FRITATTA RECIPE
Ingredients
- 4 cups leftover spaghetti or pasta macaroni moistened with sauce
- 1/4 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese
- 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 tbl finely chopped fresh basil
- 4 cooked meatballs, crumbled or 2 cooked Italian sausage links, sliced (optional)
- 3 eggs, beaten
Instructions
- Place the spaghetti or macaroni in a large bowl. Sprinkle with the Mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese and basil. Crumble the meatballs or add the sausage if you are using and toss well to combine.
- Heat a 10″ iron skillet over medium heat. Spread the spaghetti mixture in the skillet and pour the beaten eggs over the spaghetti. Place a lid on the skillet and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove lid, turn the fritatta like you would a pancake and let it cook on the other side uncovered for another 2 or 3 minutes. The finished product, properly cooked, should be a little crispy on the outside. Serve immediately.
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