In Naples, the fritatta di spaghetti is a very popular dish, used as a way to recycle leftover spaghetti, although it is also common to cook pasta specifically to prepare this dish. In short, it would be an omelette where the "filling" is spaghetti instead of the typical potatoes that are used, for example, in Spanish omelette.
INGREDIENTS (4 people)
- 250 grams (9 oz) of spaghetti
- 5 eggs
- 100 grams (3.5 oz) of cheese *
- 50 grams (1.8 oz) of grated Parmesan cheese
- 50 grams (1.8 oz) of diced bacon (better smoked)
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
- Salt
- Pepper
- extra virgin olive oil
* the typical cheese used in the fritatta is scamorza. As it is not a very easy cheese to find outside of Italy, you can use some smoked cheese, provolone or even some that melt like emmental, gouda, etc.
First, cook the spaghetti with plenty of water (1 liter / 5 cups per 100 grams / 3.5 oz), salt and a little oil until al dente (see the manufacturer's instructions). If you have leftover pasta from past days you can use it, of course.
In a bowl, beat the eggs and add the bacon, the scamorza cheese (or whatever type you have) cut into squares, the chopped parsley, salt and pepper, as well as the Parmesan. What's the point of adding parmesan to scamorza? It is a matter of price. Parmesan is very expensive and making the whole omelette with just Parmesan would be very expensive. The scamorza therefore helps to make the recipe cheaper. This mixture of Parmesan with other cheeses is common in Italian cuisine, largely for economic reasons. In many recipes, if it weren't outrageously expensive, 100% of the cheese used would be Parmesan.
Mix the ingredients well and reserve. Drain the cooked spaghetti and place them in a large non-stick pan with a splash of oil, distributing them evenly over the entire surface. Let them fry, without stirring or touching them, for about two or three minutes (they should be slightly golden).
Next, pour the cheese and egg mixture over it, reducing the heat to medium-low and covering the pan. It is important that we distribute the egg evenly because, unlike other tortillas, it is not convenient - indeed it should not be done - to stir the ingredients with a spoon or similar. What you should do is move the pan in slow circular movements to make sure it doesn't stick and the egg is curdling.
When we see that the omelette detaches from the surface, we turn it over with the help of a plate or a lid and let the other side cook for about five minutes (or until it is done).
It is served piping hot and can be, accompanied by a salad, a single dish menu.
By the way, Italians often laugh at Neapolitan fritattas as "lesser" gastronomy. I can already tell you that the fritatta is certainly not minor and that I would not laugh at anything that came out of Naples, the place of origin, among other things, of pasta, pizza and Neapolitan coffee, nothing more and nothing less.