I recently attended a Parma ham cookery class at the Underground Cookery School near Old Street (201/203 City Road, EC1V 1JN). I can totally recommend the school – great staff, ace equipment. Indeed, I really got a lot out of the event and came home with all sorts of inspirations for my making yummy stuff in my own kitchen with an ingredient I already loved, prosciutto di Parma!. Here’s the recipe for one of my : Parma ham and spaghetti frittata. buon appetito!
I love frittatas and reckon the southern Italian recipe for what’s essentially an egg and pasta pie is among the ultimate of comfortable foods. It keeps for a few days and is a fantastic leftover, reheated or even cold.
PARMA HAM AND SPAGHETTI FRITTATA Yum
Ingredients (6-8 single servings)
- 200g of spaghetti;
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil (extra virgin preferably);
- 1 clove of garlic;
- 5 tablespoons of blacktruffle salt (not necessary, but so worth it – I’m a big fan of Tartuflanghe brand);
- 50g of thinly sliced and finely chopped Parma ham (obviously feel free to add lots more);
- 9 eggs;
- 100g Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, flaked or grated;
- 100g mascarpone;
- Chilli flakes to taste (maybe a tablespoon or so);
- 200g mozzarella di bufala chopped into chunks;
- Fresh black pepper to taste (I’d say close to 4 or 5 tablespoons).
Method
- While your spaghetti is boiling in a large saucepan, set a large frying pan on low heat and add to it a tablespoon of oil and one crushed clove of garlic;
NOTE: Make sure you use a frying pan that you can transfer safely to the oven.
- Add a teaspoon of truffle salt to the pan;
- When your spaghetti is ready (I like mine a little al dente) strain it and while in the colander mix in a tablespoon of oil;
- Add five slightly beaten (just enough to broke the yolk) to the pan;
- Add the spaghetti to the pan and mix well with the eggs;
- Add the four other slightly beaten eggs to the pan;
- Mix well and with some strength to break up the pasta, folding the ingredients a few times to ensure they are evenly cooked;
- Add the rest of the salt and mix well, continuing to break up the strands of pasta and folding the whole of what’s in your pan once more;
- Add the mascarpone and mix well;
- Add the ham, mix well;
- Preheat your oven 150ºC, while allowing the fritatta to cook a bit (maybe turn up the heat a little bit if it seems to be going really slowly);
- Add the chunks of Mozzarella to the pan, mix well;
- Add about half of the Parmigiano-Reggiano, mix well;
- Mix in the chilli flakes;
- Sprinkle the rest of Parmigiano and the black pepper on top of the frittata;
- When the fritatta is mostly cooked (if it’s still a little soupy in the centre that’s okay), take the pan off the hob and place it in the oven allowing the frittatato bake until the Parmigiano on top is completely melted;
- Remove from the oven, let cool.
Serving
Be careful not to break up your frittata when transferring it to a plate or dish (just leave it in the pan if you can. Serve as you would a quiche or savoury pie. This frittata is excellent as a pasta course paired with a side salad, as a side dish starch to go with a meat, or cubed and served as a canapé. It’s awesome for breakfast too.
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