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Serves 4
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
6 mushrooms, sliced
2 cups leftover pasta
6 eggs
Splash of milk
Salt and pepper
¼ cup grated parmesan
Heat oven to 425 F. In an oven proof sauté pan, heat oil and 1 tablespoon of butter over medium to medium-high heat. Cook mushrooms until soft. In a small bowl, beat eggs with milk, salt and pepper. Add the second tablespoon butter to pan, let it melt, then add the pasta. Toss with the mushrooms, then spread to flatten the pasta evenly in pan.
Add the eggs and shake pan to evenly
distribute. Don’t stir it. Let the eggs set for a minute, then sprinkle the parmesan on top and place the pan in the oven. Bake for 5-7 minutes, or until set on top.
Run a rubber spatula gently around and under the frittata to loosen.
Invert on a plate. Serve hot, or chill, cut and enjoy cold for a picnic.
We are heading off for a little fun in the sun, and everyone in our house is thrilled about the trip.
True, it seems spring has sprung around here, but we are going for more reliable warm weather.
That said, I am trying to get the house in order for us to be gone, including cleaning out the fridge. For whatever reason, I cooked an entire box of pasta last night, leaving us with a large container of leftovers. I have been getting fresh eggs, so the perfect answer as to what to do with all that pasta is a pasta frittata.
A frittata is an open-faced omelet. Add the pasta and it is not just for breakfast anymore. Add what you like, but we tossed in a few mushrooms, and if there were a couple of spears of asparagus that would have been great. A handful of parmesan finished the frittata off just right. Some fresh herbs sound delicious too, but it has not been that springy at my house - they are still under snow.
Between carrying bags to the car, and tidying the abode for the house-sitter, I pulled together the frittata. Emma, 8, got the eggs and beat them with a splash of milk. Clay, 5, pulled out a pan and was allowed to turn on the oven, which seems to be an exciting task for him. Molly, 6, grated the parmesan despite her disdain for cheese.
It's a simple process: heat pan, toss pasta to warm it, pour on eggs and cook until set. Make sure there is enough oil in the pan, as you do not want the frittata to stick.
If you are adding other ingredients, cook them first, then add the pasta and proceed. The pan goes in the oven for less than 10 minutes, and it is done. Serve the frittata warm or chill it, cut it in wedges and take it on your first spring picnic.
Emma, Clay and I ate the pasta frittata with pleasure. Molly likes pasta, but she does not eat eggs, so she was not too excited about this dish. Oh well. I can't please everyone all the time.
Margery Reed Poitras has 10 years of experience as a professional chef and eight years experience as a mother.
E-mail mpoitras@discoveryspeed.com. Read her blog at www.mouthstofeed.com.