Spaghetti Omelette (Frittata di Pasta), Campania Style
This Spaghetti Omelette (La Frittata di Pasta), otherwise known as frittata di maccheroni, is a classic dish that came to be many years ago due to the resourceful, inventive nature of the Neapolitan peasant culture, who notoriously didn’t throw out and waste anything left on the table – but especially not left over pasta. By simply adding a few eggs, some grated cheese, salt, and a few grinding of black pepper to the remaining pasta, a tasty new dish was born that has since become a celebrated part of the Neapolitan kitchen.
The pasta typically used is either spaghetti, bucatini, or vermicelli, but it’s also made with tubular pasta shapes or any other pasta shape that one finds in the cupboard at the given moment. The original recipe combines the leftover pasta (or just cooked pasta that has been cooled down under cold running water) with the eggs, grated cheese, salt, and black pepper, but some cooks also use a little butter and a splash of milk. To further flavor the omelette, many cooks include some small cubes of cooked ham or Neapolitan salami and/or thin slices of their favorite local cheese, such as caciocavallo, mozzarella, or provola affumicata (smoked mozzarella), which they sandwich between the layers of pasta. Some add a touch of tomato sauce. And to hear cheers of joy from young children, hot dogs cut into small bite size pieces has been the “must” ingredient.
One of our favorite versions is by chef Paolo De Gregorio of Ristorante Lo Struzzichino in Sant’Agata sui Due Golfi in Massa Lubrense. Chef Paolo sandwiches thin slices of the Campania regions celebrated cow’s milk mozzarella (called fior di latte) and, naturally, locally cultivated fresh, ripe tomatoes and basil between the layers of pasta to make his very tasty version that screams summertime in Campania.
Even though I just love how chef Paolo so confidently and easily flips the spaghetti omelette over up in the air before catching it perfectly centered in his pan, I think it’s a bit less risky in a home kitchen to place a large enough plate over the top of the pan to cover, then carefully flip the omelette over onto the plate and slide it back into the pan. Knowing mastery does take lots of time and practice I think it’s the best bet for preventing a messy kitchen disaster.
This spaghetti omelette is typically served warm, or even better, at room temperature sliced into wedges, either wrapped up in paper towels to enjoy in hand or accompanied by a small green salad, for a light meal or snack. It’s also commonly included as a part of a packed picnic lunch to take along on a scampagnata (outing to the country) with the family and/or friends or for a leisurely day at the beach.
Buon Appetito a Tutti!
Ingredients
- 11 ounces spaghetti
- 4 large eggs
- 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese or more to taste
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 to 4 1/4-inch-thick slices mozzarella (fior di latte)
- 3 to 4 1/4-inch-thick slices ripe, medium tomato
- small handful torn fresh basil leaves
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook for about 5 minutes or half of the cooking time instructed on the package. Drain in a colander and immediately place under cold running water to cool thoroughly.
- Meanwhile, in a large bowl, add the eggs and Parmigiano and season with a little salt and a few grinding of pepper. Whisk well to combine. Add the spaghetti to the bowl and toss to coat thoroughly.
- In a 12-inch non-stick skillet over medium heat, heat the olive oil. Pour in half of the spaghetti mixture and spread it out evenly. Cook, shaking the pan occasionally, until the underside turns lightly golden brown and sets, about 5 to 7 minutes.
- Arrange the mozzarella and tomato slices over the spaghetti and scatter the basil over the top. Give the remaining spaghetti mixture a quick stir, then pour it over the top and spread it out evenly to cover.
- Place a large enough plate over the top of the pan to cover. Carefully flip the frittata over onto the plate and then slide it back into the pan. You can use pot holders or oven mitts to help you, if you like. Cook, shaking the pan occasionally, until the underside turns lightly golden brown and sets, about 5 to 7 minutes.
- Serve warm or, even better, at room temperature sliced into wedges, either wrapped in paper towels to enjoy in hand or accompanied by a small green salad for a light meal or snack.