Serves 4 appetizers and 2 main courses.
Nonna Emma is the grandmother of Sylvia Nacamulli, author of The Jewish Taste of Italy. Her Roman-Jewish Nonna fed her family this wonderful spaghetti frittata on the Sabbath. You can make two small ones or one large one (instructions here). If you use a nonstick pan, the frittata will slide off. Mix store-bought tomato puree or sauce with boiled spaghetti and fry in a frying pan until the underside turns golden brown. Then flip the plate over the pan, flip them both over, and return the frittata to the pan to brown. Nakamulli, who lives in London, was born and raised in Rome. She can trace her back 16 generations in Italy on her maternal side. Half her father, she writes. Her book has an excellent history section and very interesting food.
1
Garlic clove (half)
Four
tablespoon of olive oil
1
can tomato puree or sauce (10 oz)
salt and pepper taste
6
ounces of spaghetti
1
lightly beaten eggs
1
Fresh basil sprigs and leaves coarsely chopped
1. Mix garlic and 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a frying pan. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring frequently, 3 minutes or until garlic begins to brown.
2. Add the tomato puree or sauce and add plenty of salt and pepper. Stir well, partially cover the pot and put on low heat. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove garlic from pot and discard.
3. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season generously with salt. Add spaghetti and cook over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes or until tender but still slightly chewy.
4. Drain the spaghetti in a colander and return to the pot. Add tomato mixture. Stir well. Let cool for 10 minutes.
5. Add eggs and basil to spaghetti mixture and stir until thoroughly combined.
6. Heat a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Once hot, add spaghetti mixture. Cook over low heat for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown on the underside. (Lift up with a large rubber spatula to check the edges.) While cooking, use a rubber spatula to smooth the sides of the frittata and cook it into a perfect round shape.
7. Invert a large flat plate over the skillet. Holding the plate and pan firmly with oven mitts, turn the pan upside down and rotate the frittata together so that it rests on the plate. Return frittata to pot. Return skillet to medium heat. Continue cooking for 5 minutes or until the underside is golden brown. (Total cooking time is 15-17 minutes.)
8. Slide the frittata onto a clean flat plate. Serve warm or at room temperature, cut into wedges.
Cheryl Julian. From “Jewish Taste of Italy”
Serves 4 appetizers and 2 main courses.
Nonna Emma is the grandmother of Sylvia Nacamulli, author of The Jewish Taste of Italy. Her Roman-Jewish Nonna fed her family this wonderful spaghetti frittata on the Sabbath. You can make two small ones or one large one (instructions here). If you use a nonstick pan, the frittata will slide off. Mix store-bought tomato puree or sauce with boiled spaghetti and fry in a frying pan until the underside turns golden brown. Then flip the plate over the pan, flip them both over, and return the frittata to the pan to brown. Nakamulli, who lives in London, was born and raised in Rome. She can trace her back 16 generations in Italy on her maternal side. Half her father, she writes. Her book has an excellent history section and very interesting food.
1 | Garlic clove (half) |
Four | tablespoon of olive oil |
1 | can tomato puree or sauce (10 oz) |
salt and pepper taste | |
6 | ounces of spaghetti |
1 | lightly beaten eggs |
1 | Fresh basil sprigs and leaves coarsely chopped |
1. Mix garlic and 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a frying pan. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring frequently, 3 minutes or until garlic begins to brown.
2. Add the tomato puree or sauce and add plenty of salt and pepper. Stir well, partially cover the pot and put on low heat. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove garlic from pot and discard.
3. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season generously with salt. Add spaghetti and cook over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes or until tender but still slightly chewy.
4. Drain the spaghetti in a colander and return to the pot. Add tomato mixture. Stir well. Let cool for 10 minutes.
5. Add eggs and basil to spaghetti mixture and stir until thoroughly combined.
6. Heat a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Once hot, add spaghetti mixture. Cook over low heat for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown on the underside. (Lift up with a large rubber spatula to check the edges.) While cooking, use a rubber spatula to smooth the sides of the frittata and cook it into a perfect round shape.
7. Invert a large flat plate over the skillet. Hold the plate and pan firmly with oven mitts and rotate them together so that the pan is upside down and the frittata is on the plate. Return frittata to pot. Return skillet to medium heat. Continue cooking for 5 minutes or until the underside is golden brown. (Total cooking time is 15-17 minutes.)
8. Slide the frittata onto a clean flat plate. Serve warm or at room temperature, cut into wedges.