Pasta Frittata with Broccoli, Roasted Red Bell Peppers & Gruyère

This dish falls into the new category in our house called “fancy leftovers.” I am not a pantry shopper, but instead sit down each Sunday morning and plan lunches and dinners for the entire week. I use a grocery list template to help me to remember staples, like coffee, eggs, milk and yogurt, then add on the specific items that I’ll need for the week’s menus. This is a time-consuming process, but it does inspire me to cook more interesting foods from recipes, and I also waste a lot less food.

On Sunday morning, I also glance through the fridge and determine what “dibs and dabs” I need to use up. This week, I found a small crown of organic broccoli and about 1/2 lb. cooked whole wheat pasta. I remembered years ago seeing a recipe for a frittata that used leftover pasta in lieu of potatoes. I poked around epicurious and found a recipe for Pasta Frittata with Broccoli Rabe and Sun-Dried Tomatoes.

Broccoli rabe is difficult to find, so I subbed out my crown of broccoli, steaming it lightly before adding it to the pan. I subbed roasted red bell peppers for sun-dried tomatoes, and Gruyère for Parmigiano-Reggiano.

The result was delicious. It baked up beautifully in 20 minutes and was a creative and scrumptious use of leftovers. The pasta, because it was whole wheat, kept its al dente texture, and the veggies and cheese made a colorful and flavorful combination. We often have leftover pasta, so I imagine this will become a Sunday night favorite.