Frittata with Pasta
I think I may have I’ve found my favorite frittata. I’m a little surprised by this discovery. The idea of combining eggs and pasta has never occured to me. It just isn’t anywhere in my food experiences. And in all my years of visiting Italy, I’ve never seen the dish on a menu, never had it served to me at a friend’s table. I don’t understand how I missed out all these years.
But, guess what — I love the combination. I love the body the pasta gives to the dish. I love the texture and I love the flavor. It’s like one of your favorite starchy comfort foods partnered with some nice healthy protein.
Following Marcella’s suggestion, I made the simple butter, cheese, and parsley sauce for the pasta. I’m glad I did, because it gave me the chance to experience the combination of pasta and egg without other flavors to distract.
I loved the way the spaghetti developed a nice golden crust under the broiler.
The ten inch frittata made four very generous servings. Add a little salad and some wine and you’ve got an easy, delicious, and filling meal.
I hope (but doubt) they’ll have this on the menu tonight at Via Matta in Boston! I think this combo is dreamy!!
**growling tummy at 9AM, should not be reading Pomodori e Vino before breakfast**
Deborah responds:
Mindy, you crack me up!
When we were kids my friends Mom used to make this all the time! And we really liked it (served with a couple of huge meatballs on the side). She told us that this dish was made often in southern Italy, where she was from, in winter when they didn’t have tomatoes or other veggies and then again during the war when often their crops were used to feed soldiers. I have never seen this made anywhere else or in a cookbook. Great recipes and I will definitely try this.
Thanks, Linda
Deborah responds:
Linda, that makes so much sense. It also probably explains why I haven’t experienced it in my travels, which didn’t begin until the mid-90s, and focused mostly on Umbria.
I still don’t understand, after all these years, what causes people to use some recipes from my books again and again, while wholly ignoring others. Apparently, unless you are compelled to make it because of the commitment you’ve made to others, this is one of my recipes that you’ll pass up. I bet Susie L. has never made it. I have never heard back from anyone about this frittata. Ever. Absolute silence. So, my darling Deborah, you have just launched an exclusive club. I am hugely pleased.
Deborah responds:
I think, Marcella, that it is a case of the unfamiliar-ness of the combination of egg and pasta in the same dish. Which is, by the way, a bit ironic considering that pasta itself is MADE with egg. 😀
Americans, who are the majority of the people using your cookbook, just aren’t familiar with it. It would be kind of like me writing a cookbook about traditional American cooking for use in Italy. I’m sure there would be unfamiliar recipes that, on the surface at least, wouldn’t appeal to the Italian palate.
I want to eat some of this right now. Immediately.
Reading this website is one of my favorite parts of the day.
Thanks.
Deborah responds: Thanks Ray Anne. Tell all your friends to read our blog, too. We want to give Essentials as much exposure as we can.
Dear Marcella,
Hopefully you will be pleased to learn that not only have we made this, but we have made it several times and will continue to do so.
This however does not excuse our inattention to so many of your wonderful recipes, a situation which we are currently remedying.
Abbracci,
Susanna (Susie L)
P.S. Deborah, your dish is very pretty, prettier than ours. Brava!
Hi, Deborah. I’m doing my relentless best to pass the website along to all of my friends in the tri-state area. Good reading and good eating. What could be bad? Being pushy is one of my finest qualities.
I am definitely going to try this one! Great job, Deborah!