The holidays are a time of social gatherings, often celebrated through food and drink. It’s a time when we have a tendency to overdo it when it comes to preparing food, and as a result our refrigerators get easily restocked by the “leftovers” ...we all have them.

It''s a want-not-waste-not time in today’s economic climate, but the thought of leftovers should not leave you cold.  In fact, with a little imagination, you can actually have a lot of fun taking what is left over and adding to it so that you have a whole different presentation.

 

Often times ingredients can be substituted with similar items and exact amounts are not as much an issue because it depends on how much you have left over, so there

is much flexibility with ingredients.

 

Using a little good judgment and imagination can turn most traditional dishes into a simple and delicious new dish your family will love.

 

In David Rocco’s new book, Dolce Vita (published by Harper Collins), the celebrity cook says that leftovers taste even better the next day.

 

In these two recipes from his book, Rocco illustrates how simple leftover ingredients can be turned into dishes that don’t look or taste like leftovers. They can easily become a new family favourite and far better than ordering in.

 

Pasta Fritta
[Best Damn Leftover Pasta Dish Ever a.k.a. Fried Pasta]

 

When I was in grade school, I was king of my lunchroom because this is what my mom would pack for me. Of course, I knew she was just using up leftovers from last night’s dinner, but I didn’t care. It looked and tasted better than the bologna sandwiches my mates had. Now it’s a habit for me to always make extra spaghetti so I can make this recipe the next day.

 

If you’re a first-time cook, this recipe is a great place to start. In fact, I have a few friends who decided to learn how to cook after watching me make this and tasting it. They couldn’t believe how simple it was and how amazing it tasted.

 

Ingredients: Leftover spaghetti, eggs, salt, freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and extra-virgin olive oil. You can use any leftover pasta you like, but I strongly recommend spaghetti because the individual strands seem to crisp up better. I like my pasta fritta thin and flattened out like a pizza. My mom makes a thicker version, so it’s really up to you. And by the way, the answer is yes – your leftover pastas should already have been mixed with your tomato sauce.

 

Method: In a large mixing bowl, beat an egg or two. Add a little bit of salt, but just a bit because your pasta is already flavoured. This is totally optional, but if you want to add a handful of freshly grated Parmigiano, go ahead, then give it a good stir. Next, add your leftover spaghetti and mix well so that the pasta is fully coated in the egg mixture.

That’s what’s going to keep your pasta fritta intact.

 

Now pour a good amount of olive oil into a hot frying pan. I recommend using a nonstick pan for this. Once your oil is hot, pour in the egg and spaghetti mixture, spreading it so that it’s nice and flat in your pan. Cook it for about 5 minutes or until the bottom gets crisp. To flip it over, cover it with a plate larger than the pan and carefully flip them together to invert the fried spaghetti onto the plate. Then slide it back into the pan and cook until crisp and golden brown.