GLUTEN-FREE SPAGHETTI BOLOGNESE FRITTATA CHRISTMAS TREE
If you, like lots of us, have trouble enticing children to polish off traditional Christmas fare then we have a solution for you - our Christmas tree shaped Spaghetti Bolognese Frittata.
It’s a very simple idea. Al dente spaghetti (gluten-free or not) tossed with some delicious Bolognese sauce, freshly grated parmesan and a few eggs to hold it all together. Bake in a flat tin and, once cooked and cooled, cut into Christmas Trees or other Christmassy shapes you fancy.
You can keep the little ones occupied by letting them decorate their Christmas Trees with tomato sauce, cherry tomatoes, carrot, capsicum or cucumber shapes and you’ll have managed to sneak a few veggies in there too.
The best news is that the spaghetti frittata can be made a couple of days ahead and reheated in the oven or microwave, leaving you free as a bird to rustle up all that delicious food for grown-ups.
Rosie
SPAGHETTI BOLOGNESE FRITTATA CHRISTMAS TREE
Serves 6-10 child portions
Olive oil for greasing
340 gm gluten-free spaghetti (Jan likes Barilla)
900 gm (about 4 cups) of your favourite bolognese sauce, warmed
100 gm parmesan, freshly grated, plus extra to serve
4 eggs beaten
Preheat oven to 175°C. Brush a 23cm x 33cm baking tin, or equivalent, with olive oil.
Cook the spaghetti in a large saucepan with plenty of boiling, salted water until al dente. Drain and transfer to a large bowl.
Toss the warm bolognese sauce, through the spaghetti, followed by the parmesan and the eggs, ensuring the ingredients are evenly distributed through the spaghetti.
Transfer to the prepared baking tin and press down gently.
Place in the preheated oven and cook for 30-35 minutes or until firm. Allow to cool enough to handle and turn out onto an oven proof tray. If the bottom (now the top) is not brown enough, brush with some extra olive oil and place the frittata under the grill for a few minutes.
Allow to cool before cutting into shapes.
Serve with a bowl of freshly grated parmesan on the side.
TIPS:
1.
The frittata can be made a day or two ahead of time and gently reheated, covered, in the oven or in a microwave.
2.
For a vegetarian version, use tomato sugo (pasta sauce), chopped black olives (if your littlies like them) and a couple of tablespoons of chopped parsley instead of the bolognese sauce.