Frugal Cooking: Spaghetti Frittata

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Whenever I’m cooking pasta, I always put the proper amount of dry pasta for the number of servings I want into the boiling water and then I do something crazy every time – I add at least a handful more!

It just never looks like enough, even though I know it is. I bet you do the same thing. If so, you might find yourself with some leftover naked pasta lying around. What do you do with it?

I make spaghetti frittata with whatever other odds and ends I have hanging out in my refrigerator. It’s great because you can use small amounts of leftover cooked vegetables, little knobs of leftover cheese, herbs, or what have you. Remember, wasted food is not green and can contribute to global warming if it goes to landfill so use it all up!

Here’s a flexible recipe that serves 2 or 3 people.

2-3 tablespoons butter or olive oil

1/2 of an onion, diced

1-2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 to 1 1/2 cups of assorted vegetables (you might grate a small zucchini, throw in a handful of spinach, toss in some leftover roasted potatoes or squash, or slice some mushrooms).

Vanessa Barrington

Vanessa Barrington is a San Francisco based writer and communications consultant specializing in environmental, social, and political issues in the food system.