Pesto Pasta Frittata
- Share via
Leftover spaghetti sounds like dorm food, but you can dress it up easily by turning it into a frittata. All you need are some vegetables on the side and you’ve got dinner. The selection presented here is just a suggestion; you can vary the vegetables.
Plan this meal for a night after a big spaghetti dinner. Make sure to save some cooked spaghetti--without sauce.
It takes a little skill to tip the frittata from the skillet onto a plate then turn it back into the skillet to finish cooking. Just work quickly and carefully, and you should be fine.
Cook the broccoli and asparagus together in boiling water until tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Meanwhile, cook the pattypan squash in a separate saucepan of boiling water until tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove the squash from the pan using a slotted spoon and set it aside; add the bell pepper to the water and cook it until tender, 5 minutes. As soon as each vegetable is done, place it in a bowl of ice water to shock it, then drain it and set aside.
Beat the eggs in a large bowl for 1 minute. Add the cheese, pesto and cooked spaghetti and stir until thoroughly mixed.
Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add the egg mixture. Let it cook without stirring. After 8 minutes, start checking the bottom of the frittata with a spatula; when it is lightly browned and the top is starting to set, place a large plate over the skillet and carefully flip the frittata onto the plate. (The eggs will run a little, but that’s OK because you’ll be turning the frittata back into the skillet.) Melt the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter in the skillet and quickly slide in the frittata from the plate. Cook until the frittata is firm and lightly browned, 8 to 10 more minutes. Gently cut into it on the side to make sure the center is done.
While the frittata cooks, heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a skillet over medium heat. Rub each mushroom with 1 teaspoon of oil and sprinkle it with salt and pepper. Fry the mushrooms until soft, turning halfway through, 10 to 12 minutes.
Remove the mushrooms, add 1 tablespoon of oil to the skillet and cook the garlic until aromatic, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the broccoli, asparagus, squash, bell pepper and salt and pepper to taste and cook until heated through, 4 to 5 minutes.
Turn the frittata onto a serving plate and cut into pieces. Slice the mushrooms and serve with frittata wedges and the vegetables.
Get our Cooking newsletter.
Your roundup of inspiring recipes and kitchen tricks.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.