Froġa tal- għaġin - Spaghetti Omelette
By on July 2, 2009 8:36 AM
I remember coming home from kindergarten as a five year old girl and having my nanna make spaghetti omelette for my cousin Joanne and I for lunch. While the rest of our kindergarten friends where having cheese and apple and vegemite sandwiches for lunch Joanne and I would be stuffing our faces on Froġa tal- għaġin. Mum used to make spaghetti omelette for us too, but there was something special about having it at my nanna's house with my favourite cousin.
I now make Froġa tal- għaġin for Hoover and Fussy and I think they love
it just as much as I do. I make it often for Fussy as it's one of the
ways I can sneak eggs into him. Every now and then he asks 'what's in
it' and I casually reply 'oh just spaghetti and cheese'. He is yet to
learn that eggs are necessary to bind things together, and I am more
than happy to keep 'eggs' out of his spaghetti omelette.
As I continue to explore both the people and food of Malta, I see a reoccurring theme emerge - the ability to work with whatever is at hand and an inability to waste when it comes to food. This spaghetti omelette is yet another example of Maltese ingenuity at its best. Hence, most people would toss left over, unused cooked spaghetti in the bin, but not the Maltese. In true Maltese fashion unsuspecting left over spaghetti is transformed into something both delightful and delicious.
Froġa tal- għaġin - Spaghetti Omelette
Ingredients
200g organic spaghetti, cooked
2-3 organic eggs, beaten
½ cup grana padano
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
1tsp ground cumin
Olive oil
Optional Ingredients
Flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
Anchovies, finely chopped,
Dried chilli flakes
Method
1. In a bowl mix the cooked spaghetti, eggs, cheese, cumin and salt and pepper until well combined.
2. Put a little olive oil in a large pan and heat. Spread the spaghetti mixture evenly over the base of the pan and cook until it is golden and crisp on both sides. Serve immediately.
As I continue to explore both the people and food of Malta, I see a reoccurring theme emerge - the ability to work with whatever is at hand and an inability to waste when it comes to food. This spaghetti omelette is yet another example of Maltese ingenuity at its best. Hence, most people would toss left over, unused cooked spaghetti in the bin, but not the Maltese. In true Maltese fashion unsuspecting left over spaghetti is transformed into something both delightful and delicious.
Froġa tal- għaġin - Spaghetti Omelette
Ingredients
200g organic spaghetti, cooked
2-3 organic eggs, beaten
½ cup grana padano
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
1tsp ground cumin
Olive oil
Optional Ingredients
Flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
Anchovies, finely chopped,
Dried chilli flakes
Method
1. In a bowl mix the cooked spaghetti, eggs, cheese, cumin and salt and pepper until well combined.
2. Put a little olive oil in a large pan and heat. Spread the spaghetti mixture evenly over the base of the pan and cook until it is golden and crisp on both sides. Serve immediately.
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Oh YUM!! I've recently gotten into making my own pasta & as I live on my own this would be perfect the next day for leftovers!!
Thank you yet again :o)
Yummm!I bet it would have tasted so good! And I LOVED the pic of the spaghetti!! :)
I remember growing up as a kid, my mother always made baked spaghetti. With lots of butter and a little sauce on top. My sister, father, and I would fight over the crispy parts.
I haven't had it in years, and your post reminded me of it. I think I'm going to make it this weekend!
Excellent photos.
An old friend of mine's Dad first made this for me, but without the cumin, and with the addition of Sweet chilli sauce! Yum
Oh, I remember my grandfather rustling up one of these! Had the messiest kitchen in the world, always had a grandchild or two crawling under the table somewhere and learnt how to improvise with left-overs having had to feed 10 children of his own.
I haven't eaten this for at least 30 years!
what a fun dish and a fond memory - the photos look good!
So simple and yet looks delish! will give it a shot! thanks for the recipe.
Thanks Ria!
Amy we still all fight over the crispy bits as that's the best part!
I normally make it with lots of flat leaf parsely and a hint of chilli, but if the kids are going to eat it I just make it this way with cumin.
Well then I guess it's high time you taught Liz how to make Froġa tal- għaġin!
havent had this in ages! it looks so great! my mum used to do it sometimes and used to improvise a lot with the ingredients, including peas, mushrooms, sweetcorn, pieces of ham and tomatoes :-)
Isn't this also called 'tarja'? That's what we call it here. My mother frequently does it for our midday lunch, and when she has time, she adds pieces of meat (such as luncheon meat/bacon etc) and green pepper cut into small pieces. She sometimes adds also some herbs, and mixes all before frying. it becomes delicious!
Similar to this is the Froġa tat- tarja where you use vermicelli spaghetti and can add all sorts of things like ricotta, ham, bacon and whatever leftovers you may wish to add. I guess everyone's Mama has their own different version.
Fantastic recipe. I have a whole heap of eggs sitting there just waiting to be used up. And just when I thought I could do with some nice, yummy and EASY recipe's for school holidays! Thanks Nanette this one is sure to be tried this weekend!
True to my word I made this on a Sunday night for supper. What a great recipe! Hubby loved it and even I had a piece which I enjoyed. The kids didn't have any, largely because it was late and they weren't hungry. But I'm sure to make this a regular on our table! Thanks GourmetWorrier!
It's such a quick, simple no-brainer recipe and a great way to sneak eggs and cheese into fussy children! I'm so glad it was a hit :)
Love this, I usually make Froga Tat-Tarja very high, like a Spanish Tortilla.
And sometimes I leave it quite bland, say just ricotta, then we have it with honey or home made jam, yum!
I am sooooo making this today. Looks fabulous.
OMG - with honey & jam?!
I love this dish, I too come from maltese heritage and relish the moments spent in my nannas and nunus kitchen. I agree with you about nannas special touch too, they just have that magic about them in the kitchen those maltese nannas.Your site is delicious and has inspired me to cook from my childhood. I discovered it yesterday and have since cooked Pudina Tal Hobz and torta tal-rikkotta. My mum enjoyed the pudina too and is now going to search your site. Thankyou for the inspiration.
What saddens me the most is that my Nanna is now in a nursing home and no longer cooks for herself. I would give anything to cook with her again, but at 89 she is really well and truly over cooking!
Thank you for your recipes of maltese heritage. I love them. I have made this spaghetti omlette for my kids for many years and I always make it different every time, I mainly use any leftovers in fridge. I like to add fresh herbs it makes a big difference to taste.
OMG... I can't believe I have found the recipe, it looks exactly how my mama used to make. I am sad that I never took an interest in her cooking, but I am sure that when I do make this dish I will remember her. God Bless her.
Margaret food is such a comforting thing, especially food from our childhood.
Enjoy your froġa and God bless your dear mama x