Heeeeey! Hi. It’s Monday. I hope you’ve had your coffee because you’re about to hear me ramble on and on about what an awesome and easy dinner this is. Fuuuuuun!

I’d like to nominate this dish as one of my fav things to cook when I’m short on time and I want something easy that requires literally no brain power. “No brain power recipes” could be a whole cookbook idea. Seriously. Someone get on that!!

This recipe is way loose, and basically–minus the produce–a pantry dish. Pantry dishes are cool. Like, if you don’t have carrots, onions and garlic hanging out in your kitchen, it’s definitely not the end of the world. This thing will still work. Also–a plus–this dish is a like a unisex shirt–it can act as dinner or brunch. Niiiice!

P.S. This is the last of the videos for a while. Did you like them? I’ve been playing around with the idea of doing more videos for daaa blog and wanna know if you dig ‘em! xx

(Take the jump for the recipe!)

Eggs in Spicy Tomato Sauce

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2 tablespoons olive oil
¼ yellow onion, diced
½ carrot, diced
2 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon  red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon  dried oregano
1 (24-ounces, 680 g) can of crushed tomatoes (San Marzano)
¼ cup Parmesan, grated
Salt
3 large eggs yolks
Pepper
Basil

1. Heat olive oil in cast iron skillet, over medium heat. When oil is hot add the carrot and yellow onion; cook for 5-7 minutes, until onions are translucent and carrots are softened. Add garlic atop mixture and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

2. Add can of crushed tomatoes to mixture and combine. Stir in the red pepper flakes and dried oregano. Bring the tomato sauce to a simmer over medium-low heat and cook for 15-20 minutes, uncovered. The sauce will reduce, the carrots soften even further and the delicious smell will engulf your home.

3. If you have an immersion blender, simply blend the mixture in the cast iron skillet, being careful for spillage. If you don’t (I don’t), carefully transfer tomato sauce, in batches, to blend. Hot liquids can create blender explosions, so be sure to allow steam to escape and not fill the blender too high.

4. Transfer blended tomato sauce back to pan. Mix in Parmesan and add salt to taste. Using the back of a wooden spoon, create 3 cavities in the tomato sauce. Carefully drop the egg yolks in that space and cover with a lid for 1-2 minutes, and until egg yolks barely set. Top with freshly ground pepper and basil. Serve with toast.

Confession: sometimes I’m a brat. This is totally true. Sometimes I’m sleepy, my eyelids are heavy and I just want my way, like, right now.

Currently, if I could get my way in all things life, this is how it’d go:

1. More hours in the day for me to work and say hi to friends.

2. I’d be able to drink copious amount of gin without having an awful hangover face. I can’t swing it–not a youngin’ anymore, guys. Depressing.

3. I’d drink coffee at 9pm and still be in bed by midnight. I’m totally not sensitive to caffeine at 8am, but it ruins me after 6pm. Truly unfair.

4. At Chipotle I’d be able to assemble my very own burrito. They’re very nice people at Chipotle but I just wanna do it myself.

When I’m sensing my brattiness is taking over my usual good and positive nature, I gotta put myself in check. ‘Cause seriously look at what I made! Look at what I have had in my life! Crispy hash browns! With cheese! All topped with a runny egg. Such a good look!

Like any good thing, it starts with a good amount of carbs.

The trick I found to crispy hash browns/latkes, etc. is you must sprinkle the potatoes with a bit of salt, let them stand and then squeeze out the moisture. You’ll be surprised at how much comes out–it’s kinda crazy.

Next you’re going to add some good stuff to the potatoes like a shallot, garlic, some pepper, paprika. All for good measure.

Add a few tablespoons of the potato mixture to the muffin cups, and lining the bottoms and sides using your fingers.

You want to make sure they’re compact as possible. This will help with ensuring the little potato nests keep their shape.

Oven time!

After about 12 minutes, they’ll look like this situation below. Sort of crispy on the outsides, but definitely a pale potato on the insides. This is cool. They’re still more baking in their future. Add the cheese (not a lot) and then crack an egg in each of the muffin cups.

Now, if I could do this again, I’d totally use medium eggs (I used large eggs). Everything was perfectly fine but I was a little scared some of them were going to overflow.

More oven time!

Just enough until the eggs are cooked.

You’ll be met with the cutest, egg and hash brown situation ever. Perfect for those days when you need to be yanked out of your bratty, attitude mood.

Egg and Cheese Hash Brown Nests

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2 russet potatoes, peeled
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 shallot, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, divided
1/4 teaspoon ground paprika
1/4 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
8 medium eggs

1. Generously grease a muffin tin and set aside. Using a box grater, shred the potatoes and transfer them to a bowl; sprinkle with the kosher salt and allow it to sit for 10 minutes. Gather the potatoes in the center of a cheese cloth (or a bed of paper towels) and wring the potatoes dry, removing the excess water. There will be quite a bit!

2. Transfer the dried, shredded potato back to the bowl and add the shallot, garlic, pepper and paprika. Mix until combined.

3. Preheat the oven to 400F. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the potato mixture into each muffin cup, being sure to line the bottom and the sides. Since the potatoes will shrink when baked, make sure you go all the way to the top of the muffin tin when lining the sides. Bake for 10-15 minutes, and until the outer sides appear lightly golden brown.

4. Decrease oven to 350F. Remove from oven. In the center of each hash brown nest, add a teaspoon of grated cheese, and then top with one egg. Bake for an additional 10 minutes, and until whites are set, but yolks still appear soft.

5. Allow to cool for 2 minutes in pan. Using a butter knife, run it around the edges of each hash brown nest and gently remove it. Top with remaining freshly ground pepper and serve immediately.

Yields 8 Hash Brown Nests

I like to think that galettes are like lazy, messy, casual pies. You only sorta have to roll them out. You only sorta have to make them look pretty. But really, the messier the better. It’s about the easy.

I can’t really think of a meal of the day where easy is most welcomed than on a cold, hazy January morning.

Let’s have pie for breakfast. But let’s leave the fruit for the summer. It’s January. So, pie…with runny eggs, lots of cheese and salty bacon.

Too good!

Start it with a non-sweetened pie crust. Basic! Simple!

Roll it out. Spread on some ricotta. Sprinkle on some mozzarella!

Fold over the edges. You can try to make it look all cute. Or not. Who cares.

Brush on a little egg wash and stick it in the oven.

Take it out. (Do you like my step-by-step?) Add the bacon. Add the egg yolks. Back in the oven for a few more minutes, just until the egg yolks set, slightly.

When you take it out, it needs some salt, pepper and basil. Sprinkle on some red crushed pepper (I put it on everything!).

Serve it up with some coffee. Or some juice.

The buttery flakey crust is just too good with all the cheese.

And the salty bacon. Hi breakfast! And the runny eggs. Whoa!

Breakfast Galette

Print this recipe!

Crust:

1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 stick unsalted butter, cubed and cold
1/4 cup water, ice cold

Toppings:

3 tablespoons ricotta cheese
1/4 cup mozzarella, shredded
2 slices bacon, cooked and cubed
3 large egg yolks
3 basil leaves
Salt and Pepper

1. In a medium bowl, mix together all-purpose flour and salt. Place flour and unsalted butter in freezer for 5 minutes to chill.

2. Combine flour mixture and butter. Mix until you’re left with what resembles coarse meal, with pea size pieces of butter. Add ice water 1 Tbsp at a time, mixing until it just begins to clump together. If you pinch some of the crumbly dough and it holds together, it’s ready. If the dough doesn’t hold together, add a little more water and mix again.

3. Remove dough from bowl and place in a mound on a clean surface. Gently shape into a discs, being sure to not over-knead. Wrap the disc in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour, and up to 2 days.

4. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. On a floured surface, roll dough to a 10-inch circle with a 1/4-inch thickness. It’s okay if the edges are shaggy and it’s not a perfect circle. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet.

5. Scoop ricotta onto the center of the dough, spreading out to make a large circle, stopping 1-inch from the edge of the dough. Sprinkle on grated mozzarella cheese. Fold edges of dough over the cheese. Transfer baking sheet to the refrigerator for 15 minutes.

6. Whisk together yolk and water. Brush dough with the egg wash. Bake until crust is lightly golden brown, 25-30 minutes. Take galette out of the oven and gently place yolks atop cheese. Arrange bacon bits to your liking and place back in oven for 2-3 minutes, or until yolks set.

7. Garnish with basil and salt and pepper.

Do you wear perfume? What do you smell like? Is this a personal question? Prolly. I think it is.

I usually don’t like the smell of perfume; I just dig the smell of soap. But, for the past two weeks I’ve been thinking that maybe–since I’m a grown woman now–I should smell like something other than laundry detergent. You know, like, have a scent.

So I’ve been on the search. I’ve smelled a lot. Tested a lot. Sneezed a lot. Been grossed out by most. Too much perfume can be like nose pollution. It’s invasive. Don’t be invasive with your perfume–that’s just rude.

The one that I love over and over and over…the one I can’t get enough of: Chanel No. 5. Totally classic and pretty. Makes me feel like a lady. I can for sure picture myself as a grandma, with my wrinkly hands and gaudy broaches (plan on wearing those), smelling like it.

Let’s talk classic. The omelet variety.

There’s the country omelet..and then there’s the French omelet.

Country omelets vs. French omelets.

Country omelets have larger curds, are usually browned on the outside and are typically filled with more heartier fare. They’re big and manly.

French omelets? Daintier, more delicate, smaller curds with creamy centers.

And to my surprise–taught to me by my dad–the technique is way different. They require a little work. WHO KNEW?!

The typical French omelet has four herbs: chervil (didn’t have it), tarragon (only like it in chicken salad), chives and Italian parsley. I added a little gruyére to mine too, because it makes every situation slightly better.

Let’s dooo it:

Over medium heat, melt some butter in a non-stick pan. And pour in the thoroughly beaten egg mixture.

Take a fork…(and if you’re concerned about scratching up your non-stick pan, use a plastic fork) and start scrambling the egg as it cooks.

…And then keep scrambling. This breaks up the curds and make them crazy small. This is where the delicateness is developed.

And then, do it some more.

When the egg sets a bit, flatten the eggs out evenly in the pan.

Take your fork (or spatula), and fold the omelet inward.

If you want to add cheese, place it in the center.

Tap the omelet so it moves downward in the pan and let it cook a bit longer. You want a creamy center, not a raw center.

Take your fork (or spatula), and run it around the edge and fold it inward.

Invert it onto a plate…and that’s it! Classic, dainty, French omelet!!

And now…let’s talk perfume!! Spill it! I need recommendations.

French Omelet

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3 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoon unsalted butter
1/2 tablespoon chives, finely diced
1/4 tablespoon Italian parsley, finely diced
Pinch of sea salt
1 tablespoon Gruyére, finely shredded

1. Beat large eggs, thoroughly.

2. Add chives, Italian parsley and sea salt. Beat until combined.

3. In a 6-inch pan, over medium heat, melt unsalted butter, swirling the butter in the pan. When the foam subsides, add the egg. With your fork, stir the eggs quickly, as you shake the pan with your other hand. This will give you uniform, small curds.

4. When the egg mixture begins to set, using your fork, flatten them in the pan. Cook for a minute or two, just so it cooks a bit longer.

5. Angle the pan downward, and using your fork, fold the top part of the omelet inward. If you’re adding cheese, place it in the center. Fold in the bottom part inward. Cook for 30 more seconds and then invert on a plate. Serve right away!

Technique by Jacques Pépin via my dad

This week mini-life lessons were just flying all around me. Wanna hear ‘em?! Of course you.

1. If you go to the movies with a boy and he ends up eating ALL of your Sour Patch Kid–that you specifically wanted to buy yourself so you didn’t have to share–and you find yourself annoyed, he’s not the right dude for you. You should WANT to share your Sour Patch Kids, you know?!

2. I just watched Clueless for the bajillioninth time and just realized it came out in 1995…WHAT?! That’s SO long ago. How is it still so amazing?! How are the clothes still relevant?! How do I STILL know practically every line in that movie?!

3. I call my mom too much. The woman has been out of the country for a week and I’ve reached for my phone to text/call her, like, a million times. It makes me feel like an orphan. So now I just email incessantly. And I’ve tried to call my dad to talk…but he just presses ignore, I think.

4. Don’t get addicted to those San Pellegrino Aranciata orange soda things. I’ve bought two six-packs in the past two days and now I’m kinda poor. Don’t go poor because soda. That’s just silly. Everyone knows if you’re gonna go poor because of anything it should be because of shoes.

5. Sweet potatoes aren’t yams. But yams are sweet potatoes. WHAT?! Good gracious, USDA, do you understand how confusing you’re making me/the entire country?

C’est la whatevsies!! I say we give them a new name.

Sweet potato is kinda boring and obvi, no?

Clementine potato? Tangerine potato? Creamsicle potato? OMG! I have it:

Aranciata Potato.

It’s like if my San Pellegrino orange drink obsession and a sweet potato did it in the back of a car. And had a child. It would totally be a Aranciata Potato.

Now that we’ve settled on the future of sweet potatoes/yams, let’s talk this hash.

This magic starts with lardons. Basically lardons are slab bacon cut up into 1/4″ cubes. They’re kind of like bacon bits. But bigger. Kind of. Not really. Why is life so confusing!?

No but really, lardons are just slab bacon cut into thick bits. That’s all.

It’s starts with them getting crispy and well cooked.

I then cooked the sweet potato and onion and added a few spices. That cooked up in about 20 minutes. I added the red pepper and garlic and lardons back, poached a few eggs…and BOOM! delicious breakfast.

Pro tips:

If you wanna make it veggie, leave out the bacon.

If you wanna make it vegan, leave out the bacon AND egg.

If you dig spicy, add a dash of cayenne or hot sauce. I bet it’d be major.

Anyway you choose to spin it, it’s super easy and amazing.

And P.S. That whole Sour Patch kids didn’t happen to me. It happened to my best lady friend. I would never eat Sour Patch Kids. Those things create too much saliva and I start gleeking involuntarily. #disgusting

Sweet Potato and Lardon Hash

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1/2 pound slab bacon, sliced into 1/4-inch sticks
Olive oil
1 sweet potato, cubed
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 eggs, poached

In a cast iron skillet (or any skillet), over medium-high heat, add the lardons and cook for 4-5 minutes, or until thoroughly cooked. Using a slotted spoon, remove the lardons and transfer to a paper towel to drain. Set aside.

Add a tablespoon of olive oil and when hot, add the sweet potato and yellow onion. Add the cumin, paprika, to the sweet potato mixture and mix. Stirring regularly, cook for about 15-20 minutes, or until sweet potatoes are cooked. Be sure to give the largest cubes of sweet potato a taste to make sure they’re thoroughly cooked.

Add the red bell pepper to the skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes. Next, mix in the minced garlic and cook until it becomes fragrant. Taste for salt and pepper and add what you think it necessary.

Place over low heat to keep warm while you poach the eggs. Add the lardons back to the hash and toss. Top with 3 poached eggs and serve.

Serves 2

I keep notebooks. Do you keep notebooks? Where else am I supposed to keep random thoughts? I can’t post EVERYTHING that’s going on in my brain on Twitter. That’d be just wrong. And scary.

So I keep notebooks. Despite the weirdness (and embarrassment) of what goes on in my brain, I’m not too worried about someone finding them–since they’re nearly impossible to read. My typically neat and girly handwriting transforms into incomprehensible scribble, pages are re-used over and over, and the entire thing reads like one strange grocery list.

It’s true, I like lists. Sunday morning I got up abnormally early (read: 7am)–which basically means I’m turning into my father–and I decided to just write stuff down. Stuff I like. Stuff I don’t like. Sort of simple, no? Yeah, nothing too deep; I’m not that complicated.

Current brain/feelings likes and dislikes are flowing like this:

1. Like: Making a list. Crossing it off. Completion is so satisfying. Succeeding at simple things just never gets old.
2. Dislike: Having that nagging thing on the list, not doing it and putting it on the next day’s list. Like, DMV stuff or basically anything that requires a call to someone that will involve being put on hold. When are we gonna be able to email the government, anybody?

3. Like: Eating chocolate, running, being hot…and then quenching a thirst. No better feeling.
4. Dislike: Sweating while standing still. I mean…I just have no patience for it. Who’s with me?

5. Likes: Jumping in a river. It just never gets old. I haven’t done it this summer but it’s almost to the point of necessary.
6. Dislikes: Being soaking wet from the rain and going into air conditioning. Grossiest. Feeling. Ever.

7. Like: Being on the verve. You know what I’m talking about. Having hope that good stuff is near. You’re energized. You’re hopeful. Everything feels positive. When days feel like this, life feels not just doable, but incredible.
8. Dislike: Regrets. I try really hard to be brave and just do…and say…as I want and feel. Regrets suck hardcore. So, together, let’s get some courage and jump. And if we fall…well, at least we tried, right? Cliche? Totally. But true.

5. Like: Firsts. First kisses. First dates. First long talks. First discoveries. Firsts are good. They’re new and shiny. Fresh and giddy. And just perfect.
6. Dislikes: Being reminded over and over that life is so incredibly complicated. And fragile. And complicated. And that people are complicated. And things are just never as easy as you want them to be. But complicated means interesting, right? So I’m not sure if this should be a like…or a dislike. Currently it’s a dislike. Maybe this will change. Maybe good stuff comes from complication. I dunno. This is a food blog. Not a life blog. But sometimes my notebooks aren’t good enough…so here you have…my thoughts.

And a frittata. I give you my random brain going-ons today…and this frittata. Aren’t you glad we’re friends?! I am.

This should be the part where I tell you how this frittata is easy-breezy, unlike life, but alas, I’m not. I’m just not gonna compare life to a frittata because it’d be insulting to my life. And to yours.

But I will say that this frittata is easy, delicious, different and feels like summer. And it’s definitely made its way onto my current “like” list.

xo
Adrianna

Squash Blossom Goat Cheese Frittata
Recipe adapted from Epicurious

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8 whole large eggs
1/2 cup whole milk
4 oz. goat cheese, crumbled
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 small zucchini, diced
1 small yellow squash, diced
1 tablespoon olive oil
6 zucchini blossoms, ends and pistols removed

In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, salt and pepper.

Preheat boiler.

Cook zucchini in oil in a 10-inch cast iron (or non-stick skillet) pan, over moderate heat, stirring until just tender, about 8 minutes. Pour egg mixture over zucchini and cook over moderately high heat, liftng up cooked egg around edges to let uncooked egg flow underneath, 3 to 5 minutes (top will still be moist).

Sprinkle top with remaining goat cheese and arrange blossoms evenly on top, pressing them in lightly.

Broil frittata 6 inches from heat until set, puffed and slightly bown, about 3 minutes.

Cool 3-5 minutes then loosen edges. Cut into wedges and serve warm or at room temperature.

Runny eggs are super sexy. It’s true.

Runny egg. Spicy tomato sauce. Goat Cheese. Bread. This dish basically has every swoon-worthy thing ever invented. It’s pretty much a no-brainer.

So take your brain over to PW’s Tasty Kitchen Blog to see (including step-by-step photos and recipe) the guest post I wrote.

Last Friday my stove decided to have a tantrum and stopped working. Kind of annoying…I had serious cooking plans for a picnic. Instead I just ate wine and half a cupcake. It worked out juuuust fine.

Cut to this week: still no stove…I kinda started hoping it needed to be replaced. How dreamy are those O’Keefe and Merritt stoves?! In pale blue?! Hello cuteness!

Sooo…I dug out my toaster oven and started putting stuff on toast. All sorts of stuff. Possibilities…endless.

And then, as soon as my stove was fixed, I made this poached egg and put it on a piece of bread with some salt, pepper and parmesan. Runny eggs are just swoon-worthy, aren’t they?!

Almond butter and sliced strawberries. Delicious. Sweet. Killer combo.

I’m not even gonna start by telling you that turkey bacon compares to regular bacon. It just doesn’t. It can’t. Impossible. It’s healthier, though, so there’s that.

BACON > TURKEY BACON/EVERYTHING…for life.

But I just bought a few bathing suits this week and have yet to try them on. Ugh.

So here you have it: turkey bacon, a few basil leaves, a swipe of veganaise and a few sliced tomatoes on toast.

P.S. I don’t try bathing suits on in stores anymore. The lighting is heartbreaking. So now I just buy a bunch on a credit card, try them on at my apt, and take the ones that don’t work back to the store. Total game changer. Have you tried this?

Avocado on Toast is an all time fav.  Adding some ricotta to the mix took it to a whole other level of amazingness.

In other news, this weekend I’m gonna celebrate my reunion with my kitchen by making something crazy…can we say doughnuts?! I dunno…they might be in mini form, they might be girly and pink, or they might have sprinkles in them, maybe even some amazing glaze on top. Who knows…the world is my doughnut…or whatever.

This recipe first stood out to me because of how simple it is. And because it’s very French, which for some reason makes me think of spring time. And because eggs are delicious in almost any style. Also, I got it from Ina Garten. This normally means good things.

However, Ina made her eggs in individual gratin dishes that hold 3 eggs, and all I had in my cabinet were some ramekins that could each contain a single egg. Not all of us are lucky enough to have a kitchen in the Hamptons that is probably the size of my entire apartment, and therefore can have every type of serving dish imaginable on hand. Not that I’m bitter or anything…

My point is, I kind of went into this knowing I was playing with fire. I mean, when you change up a recipe you’ve never made before there’s a good chance you’re going to miss a really important detail.

Let’s just say this…it’s possible I opened the oven to check on these eggs and found that the cream was boiling up and over the top of the ramekin. I might have freaked out and yanked the eggs out and started cursing over the fact that I had most likely ruined the them. It’s arguable that I thought the eggs looked kinda gross and that I wasn’t thrilled about eating them. There’s also a chance I considered just throwing the whole thing away and eating Ben & Jerry’s for breakfast instead. Mind you, these are just rumors.

The one thing that I will say did happen – I tried one little bite just to make sure. And I found out that these eggs were off the wall delicious. I then proceeded to eat the first egg standing up in my kitchen because I didn’t want to take the time to walk to the table. Honestly, you’re lucky that I paused long enough to snap off a couple photos.

Moral of the story – make these eggs. Then eat them. The end.

Herbed-Baked Eggs

Adapted from Ina Garten

I made 2 different herb mixes for the eggs I made, both used garlic & thyme, but for one egg I used chives and the other I tried some fresh lavendar. Both eggs were delicious, I would encourage you to play around with the herbs and use whichever you like best.

1/4 teaspoon minced fresh garlic
1/4 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves
1/4 teaspoon minced chives, lavendar or rosemary
1 teaspoon freshly grated parmesan
3 extra large eggs
3 teaspoons heavy cream
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Sliced French Bread, for serving

Preheat the broiler for 5 minutes and place the oven rack 6 inches below the heat.

Combine the herbs and parmesan and set aside. Carefully crack 1 eggs into each of 3 small bowls or teacups (you won’t be baking them in these) without breaking the yolks. If a yolk breaks, just toss the egg out and try again. Sprinkle the herbs & cheese over top of the eggs. (It’s very important to have all the eggs ready to go before you start cooking.)

Place 3 ramekin dishes on a baking sheet. Place 1 teaspoon of cream and 1/3 tablespoon of butter in each dish and place under the broiler for about 3 minutes, until hot and bubbly. Quickly, but carefully, pour an egg into each ramekin and then sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Place back under the broiler for 5 to 6 minutes, until the whites of the eggs are almost cooked. (you can check this by simply poking at the eggs with a butter knife or spoon – you’ll be able to feel if they’re firm or not.) If the cream bubbles up – don’t freak out! The eggs will continue to cook after you take them out of the oven. Allow to set for 60 seconds and serve hot with toasted bread.

Happy Friday, lovelies! I like you. I made this for you. It’s a loooong weekend. Yay for all of us!

(Except me, because I work freelance. But whatevs.)

What are you doing this weekend? I’m hitting the yoga studio. I’ve finally caved and realize typing doesn’t count as exercise. And since I don’t believe in dieting, I need to be active so I’m not forced to buy an entire new wardrobe.

I think you should make this…it’s PASTA CAKE! Don’t you just love the title?

The title is super sneaky, because, as you can see, it’s not cake, but more of a frittata of sorts. I still liked it. And plus, if it did actually have flour and baking soda and was a cake, it’d just be plain weird. And seeing as I made a super weird dish last time, I’d figure I’d bring you something somewhat normal.

Like most frittatas this dish could go so many ways. You could add mushrooms, asparagus, broccoli–basically any thing in your fridge that needs getting rid of.

And even though the sight of ricotta kinda makes me wanna vom, it works lovely in this dish. As does the rest of the cheeses. I actually recommend adding whatever you have lying around.

And because I wanted gigantic tubes inside the “cake,” I figured rigatoni would be the way to go. If you have leftover pasta from the night before, refrigerate it and add it to this the next morning. Genius! Frugal! I like! 

I listened to the recipe and used a springform pan, but in hindsight I now realize it’s totally not needed. A cast iron would work great, as would a regular skillet.

If you do use a springform, I’d recommend using an 8″ or 7″ (do those even exist?). I used a 9.5″ and while it worked out just fine, it didn’t have the height I was going after. The slice should’ve been able to lay on its side so it really looked like a cake slice.

Anyhoo, despite all that stuff, I loved it. I recommend. Pasta + eggs = cuteness and easiness for days.

Pasta Cake

Adapted slightly from Five Point Restaurant Cookbook

Print this recipe!

1 pound of penne or rigatoni

1 tablespoon of unsalted butter

6 large eggs

Salt and Ground Pepper

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 teaspoon of crushed red pepper (*optional)

1 1/2 frozen spinach, thawed and drained*

1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese, grated

1 cup of cubed mozzarella (try to use low-moisture if possible)

1 cup of ricotta

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. bring a large pot of heavily salted water to boil. smear the inside of a 8 inch spring form pan with butter and set it aside.

Cook the penne in the boiling water until it’s cooked about half way through–super al dente, about 5 minutes. Drain the pasta and set it aside.

Crack the 6 eggs in a large bowl and beat. Add the cheeses, spinach, crushed red pepper, minced garlic and salt and pepper.  Add the cooked pasta and fold the mixture over itself until it’s uniformly dressed.  Then turn it out into the prepared springform pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the top is slightly golden brown and firm to the touch. Let it cool for 5 minutes, then remove from pan and serve warm or room temperature.

*If you want to use fresh spinach, which I personally think would be lovely, then cook in a saute pan with a little olive oil and salt and pepper until wilted. Then chop and add to egg mixture.