The leftover that dares not speak its name. When I told friends that I was putting together a piece on leftover pasta, I was met with blank looks, some incredulity and not a small amount of shiftiness. There were some people who just wouldn't meet my eyes as they widened theirs in horror at the concept of leftover pasta.
But the thing is, I know different. My friends forget that I am not just the Dinner Doctor, that I am Rachel the Fridge Forager. I can't help myself and I have seen those Tupperware containers of mysterious geometric shapes and amorphous gunk nestling at the back of fridges. Leftover pasta is not a mythical beast; I know it truly exists. I have seen it.
How many times have you cooked too much pasta? Be honest now. Yes, I know that you know that you are probably supposed to weigh out your pasta. The rule of thumb is a portion of roughly 100g of dried pasta per person. But how many people really do that? Perhaps it's just a question of the name "leftover". Maybe what I regard as a leftover, other people regard as "the thing that will be reheated tomorrow". Assuming you have looked after your pasta properly after cooking it, there is nothing wrong with reheating it the next day. The texture will be slightly different; it will very likely have lost some of its bite, but that doesn't mean it isn't perfectly edible and it really would be a shame to waste it.
So first of all, there are some strategies for keeping your cooked pasta in tip-top condition.
When I realise that I have too much pasta, I rinse the leftover pasta under cold water to immediately halt the cooking process and then leave it to drain and to cool. Once it has cooled and shed excess moisture, I tip it into a Ziploc bag or plastic container and put it in the fridge until needed. I know that some people like to add a teaspoon or two of vegetable oil to coat the strands so that the past doesn't stick as it cools, but I don't usually bother.
Pasta can easily be reheated by pouring a kettle of boiling water over it or dunking it into a saucepan of boiling water for about 30 seconds. Obviously it also reheats in a microwave really well too.
My favourite ways of using up leftover pasta are to make a frittata, use them in a south-east Asian-style stir-fry or to bake the pasta (particularly tube-shaped pasta such as penne or rigatoni), where it doesn't matter quite so much if the pasta is slightly over-cooked. I particularly like the way that baked pasta forms a chewy crust. In using up leftover noodles or spaghetti in a stir-fry, they are added at the last minute so that they don't begin to overcook and disintegrate. Similarly a generous handful of cooked pasta can be added to soups, particularly Italian-style vegetable and bean soups.
Pasta salad is one of those dishes that I can be a bit wary of. Anyone who has ever experienced the kind of food served in a works canteen might have sympathy for my feelings towards pasta salad; it is that horrible feeling of familiarity – the one that says "haven't I seen you somewhere before?" to yesterday's leftover lunch. Having said that, when a pasta salad is done well it can be a simple pleasure.
1. Frittata di pasta
I always wondered what Italians did with leftover pasta and now I know. For being a thrifty bunch, they have a fabulous way of using up pasta by adding it to frittatas, (including any leftover sauce too).
Serves 3-4
Ingredients:
200g cooked spaghetti (or other pasta)
pasta sauce
2 eggs, beaten
25g Parmesan or Pecorino cheese, grated
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
a small knob of butter
Mix cooked pasta with a little of the pasta sauce. You only need enough sauce to coat the pasta; otherwise it will be too runny when you add the egg. Then add egg and cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Ensure that the ingredients are well mixed.
Heat oil and butter in an omelette pan and tip the mixture into the pan.
Press down with back of a wooden spoon to create a flat cake. Fry on each side for about 5 minutes, or until golden brown. So when the first side is cooked, flip onto a plate and then slide back into the pan. Continue cooking until done.
Serve immediately, cut into wedges, sprinkled with a little grated Parmesan.
Tips: This is such a forgiving recipe. You can add things such as halved cherry tomatoes, blanched vegetables or even frozen peas. If you don't have any pasta sauce, then add a handful of grated Parmesan or Pecorino cheese or some chopped olives, capers or chunks of cooked sausage.
If I have added too much pasta sauce or there is too great an egg to pasta ratio, then often I just add dried breadcrumbs to the mix. Let it sit to allow the breadcrumbs to absorb some of the liquid, then cook as above.
2. Sesame spring onions and noodles or pasta
At the cusp between winter and spring, I can't get enough of cheerful spring onions. This uncooked sauce can be put together in less time than it takes to boil and drain the noodles – about five minutes. It also hits all of my thrifty/frugal buttons!
There was a little of last Sunday's roast chicken left to top the noodles – it is perfect with roast chicken or pork, although I love adding a few Thai fish cakes or perhaps some marinated tofu. But what also makes it a bit of a winner is that it just sings with deep savoury flavours. Maximum taste for minimum effort. Perfect.
Ingredients:
3 tbsp vegetable oil (use a neutral one)
2 tsp toasted sesame oil
2 tsp dark soy sauce or ketjap manis
1 tsp light soy sauce
a splash of mirin (or rice or sherry vinegar)
a splash of fish sauce, (optional)
a pinch of sugar
1 bunch of spring onions, chopped on the diagonal (include white and green parts)
1 tbsp fresh ginger, very finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, very finely chopped
salt (optional)
hoisin sauce (optional)
noodles or spaghetti (or other thin pasta)
Whisk together the oils, soy sauces, vinegar, fish sauce and sugar. Pour over the remaining ingredients and stir to combine.
Check the seasoning as you may need to add salt, despite the fact that soy sauce is quite salty.
Leave the sauce for about 20 minutes, so that all the flavours get to know each other. You can use immediately, although it's better left to infuse.
For even more flavour, gently warm up the oils until they are hot but not smoking. Pour over the remaining ingredients to wilt the spring onions. Then stir in the soy sauce, vinegar, fish sauce and sugar. Set aside.
Cook the noodles according to the packet instructions. Drain. Or use yesterday's leftover pasta. Cold spaghetti is perfectly acceptable, but refresh it first with boiling water, then drain.
Toss the noodles and add a dollop of hoisin sauce. Top with leftover roast meat.
3. Malaysian-style spicy fried noodles (mee goreng)
Since this is a recipe for leftovers, it may lack authenticity. I use whatever I have that needs using up. So for example I used cooked spaghetti in place of noodles, leftover roast pork and some cooked chorizo. What is more important is the sauce that binds it all together; this is a sweet and salty taste of the Far East. It may sound like a lot of tomato ketchup to use, but it really does give you the right sort of flavour.
Serves 3 to 4
Ingredients:
vegetable oil
2-3 garlic cloves, very finely chopped
cooked noodles or pasta (I used spaghetti)
leftover shredded cabbage
bean sprouts or other crunchy vegetables (carrots or peppers would be good too)
leftover roast meat (I used a mixture of roast pork and some chunks of cooked chorizo sausage)
50g cooked prawns, (optional)
water
omelette made from 2 eggs, cut into strips
2 tbsp dry sherry (or mirin or shaoxing wine)
4 spring onions, sliced, to serve
thinly sliced fried shallots, to serve (optional)
sauce:
3 tbsp fish sauce
3 tbsp tomato ketchup
2 tbsp sweet chilli sauce (I used Lingham's but Maggi or Sriracha would be good too)
1 tbsp ketjap manis or dark soy sauce
1/2 tsp sugar
salt, to taste
Combine all the salt ingredients together. Taste for seasoning and balance if necessary.
Heat about 2 tablespoons of oil in a large frying pan or wok.
Add the garlic, noodles (or spaghetti), meat, vegetables and prawns. Stir quickly and add about 100ml of water. Stir constantly until the water has evaporated.
Add the sauce and stir until well-combined. The sauce should cling to the noodles (or spaghetti).
Add the sherry and stir until the liquid is absorbed.
Serve with a sprinkling of sliced spring onions and cooked shallots.
4. Tuna pasta salad
This bright and colourful salad is the very first pasta salad I ever made, nearly 30 years ago. I seem to remember that I found the recipe on the back of a packet of dried pasta! It's the one I get asked to make most often for parties and barbecues. It also makes a great lunchbox salad as it is pretty robust and will stay fresh in the fridge for a couple of days. The tuna mixture also makes a great sandwich filling.
Ingredients:
pasta shells
1 tin of tuna, drained and flaked (about 180g)
3 tbsp good-quality mayonnaise
2 tbsp plain yoghurt
salt and freshly ground black pepper
100g sweetcorn, (frozen or tinned are fine)
3-4 spring onions, sliced
1 small red pepper, chopped
Combine the mayonnaise with plain yoghurt. Stir through the flaked tuna.
Check the seasoning. (If you have used tuna that is preserved in brine, it is unlikely that you will need any extra salt.)
Add the colourful vegetables and stir to ensure that they are distributed through the salad. Add extra black pepper if you like.
Other ideas for using up pasta:
5. You really should try this amazing Persian soup from Yasmin Khan of The Saffron Tales. It would work perfectly with the odd ends of a packet of noodles or spaghetti, or equally well with cooked pasta. Another reason it caught my eye is the fact that many of the ingredients are store-cupboard ones from lentils to dried herbs and spices.
6. Try Simone of Simones Kitchen's lovely and fresh-tasting gorgonzola and tomato salad.
7. I love Stacy of Food Lust People Love's reinterpretation of pasta primavera with peas, yoghurt and feta.
8. Janice at Farmersgirl Kitchen's chilli, pasta, fennel and walnut salad, which is just enough to give some zest on a spring day.
9. Shaheen at Allotment 2 Garden's incredible roasted squash, red pepper and pasta loaf - a fabulous mixture of roasted vegetables, herbs and macaroni encased in shortcrust pastry.
10. What about Camilla at Fab Food 4 All's quick and easy bacon, leek and pine nut pasta?
11. Dominic at Belleau Kitchen's cheesy broccoli and pasta bake
12. Michael Toa's penne alla vodka also uses up leftover vodka!
13. What about my own macaroni dish, which won Felicity Cloake's heart and the Readers' Recipe Swap award? It's a trip around the Mediterranean using feta, chorizo and dill. It works, I promise you!
14. Pasta salad with a French vinaigrette dressing. One of my favourite pasta salads is one where the pasta is coated with a simple mustardy vinaigrette dressing while the pasta is still hot. I then add chopped tomatoes, cucumbers and red or yellow peppers.
15. I have a guilty secret. I love to make Asian-style soups with noodles, but instead of using noodles, I often use bucatini. This is the pasta that looks a bit like fat spaghetti (or even udon noodles), except it has a hole going all the way through the pasta. When you include it in a soup, the noodle acts as a sort of straw - I know it's childish but it fills me with glee!
Have we missed anything? Share your favourite tips for using leftover pasta below.
Rachel Kelly is the Guardian home cook of the year 2013. Read more on her website or follow her on Twitter @MarmadukeS.
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