Spaghetti Omelette (froga-tat-tarja)
A Maltese staple which traditionally used up leftover cooked pasta, the Spaghetti Omelette (or Froga-tat-tarja) is the MVP of snacks!
As a kid, I used to think this is what everyone used to do with their leftover pasta until on one occasion, a few students in my class surrounded me whilst I was eating my lunch, baffled by this perfectly golden, crispy, pasta-pizza that they had never seen before. 😂
It will forever remind me of my dad, who used to create all kinds of different iterations. One in particular sticks in my mind, which was an almost double-decker version. Two very thin omelettes on top of each other, with a slice of lightly fried ham sandwiched in between. Heaven!
I’m sure many cultures have a similar version, I know Italians sure do! Aside from being the most simple thing to make, it is the absolute MVP of snacks. Eat it hot or cold, but I promise you won’t be able to stop. You have been warned.
Recipe notes:
The size of the pan you cook this in is important. It should be large enough so that it results in an omelette that is not too thick, but not so large that you are left with an omelette that is so thin it can’t hold itself together. For 200g of spaghetti I use a 25cm sized pan. If you have a smaller pan use less pasta, a bigger pan use more. It may take a bit of practice to get right. At the end, you’re aiming for an omelette that is around 2cm thick. A nice golden crust is also important!
Serves 4 as a snack
Ingredients
A handful of finely chopped parsley
2 whole eggs
Cracked pepper
1 tbsp Olive Oil
200g cooked Spaghetti (for best results, use a thinner spaghetti like a no. 2)
60g freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano
Flaked salt
Additional parsley and parmesan to finish (optional)
Method:
Crack the two eggs into a bowl and whisk.
Add half of the chopped parsley and pepper and whisk again until combined.
Add your cooked spaghetti to the egg mixture and stir around to ensure it is well coated.
Heat a pan on medium heat and add the olive oil.
Once warm, add your spaghetti and egg mixture. Ensure that the spaghetti covers the entire base of the pan and that there are as few gaps as possible. Too many gaps and it will break when you try to flip it.
Sprinkle with half of the parmesan.
When the bottom of the omelette is golden and crispy, get a plate that is slightly larger than your pan and place on top. This will allow you to easily flip the omelette without breaking it.
Being careful not to burn yourself, flip the pan upside down whilst holding the plate in place.
Place the pan back on the heat and slide the omelette off the plate, back into the pan on its uncooked side.
Sprinkle the remaining parmesan on the top.
When the bottom side is golden, remove the omelette from the pan and place on a chopping board or plate to cool for a couple of minutes.
Sprinkle with additional parmesan, flaked salt and parsley (if desired) to finish.