2020 is finally over and we’re all hoping for a better 2021. And with a new year come New Year’s resolutions. If your New Year’s resolutions consist of consuming less meat, trying out a few more vegan dishes for Veganuary, or simply eating healthier, this recipe has your ‘Froga tat-Tarja’ (spaghetti omelette) cravings sorted. And yes, it’s vegan!
But what I’m most excited about is that I didn’t invent this brilliant dish. This Froga tat-tarja was created for you by one of The Healthy Malteser’s followers, all the way from Canada! How cool is that? 🤩
So who developed this recipe, you ask? It was created by my new friend Julie, a Canadian Chef de Cuisine who’s proud of her Maltese heritage. She grew up watching her dad make pastizzi while he told her stories about Malta and now, she takes on the challenge of making vegan versions of her family’s favourite traditional Maltese food.
Julie also runs her own company – ‘In a Pinch’, selling single portioned, vacuum-sealed gourmet meals. She creates food that fuels and nourishes the body and mind. And once you give this recipe a go, you’ll know just how true this statement is. I’m confident her Maltese Nanna and Nannu would have given her a massive thumbs up for this one!
In case you’ve never heard of ‘Froga tat-Tarja’ before, it’s a traditional Maltese vermicelli omelette. Vermicelli pasta noodles (also known as angel hair pasta) are exactly like spaghetti but thinner. The word ‘Tarja’ refers to this thin type of spaghetti typically used in the dish here in Malta. Although the traditional Maltese recipe calls for vermicelli, you can easily prepare this with spaghetti.
Vegan Spaghetti Omelette Ingredients
Most ingredients found in this leftover pasta frittata are common products that you find in your cupboard, plus a few plant based staples, typically used in ‘eggy’ vegan recipes. Although you mightn’t have heard of ‘aquafaba’, ‘nutritional yeast’ or ‘kala namak black salt’ before, these are almost magical ingredients, found in any veteran vegan’s kitchen.
So what’s so special about these guys?
Let’s start with aquafaba. This is simply the water found in a can of chickpeas. As if by some kind of magic, aquafaba is one of the best egg replacements to exist. By whisking this chickpea water for around 6 minutes, it will turn into the same consistency of beaten egg whites – stiff peaks and all. You can use this in meringues or as you would normal beaten egg whites.
Turning to nutritional yeast, this is simply an inactive yeast which happens to be a complete source of protein, also high in vitamin B12. You just sprinkle this over food for a nutty, cheesy, taste.
Our last strange ingredient for the day; Kala Namak or Himalayan black salt. It’s an Indian salt which is also commonly used in Pakistan and other Asian countries. The sulfur compounds in this salt make it smell and taste like eggs, making this an indispensable ingredient for recipes with an ‘eggy flavor’. This really makes vegan egg dishes like this spaghetti frittata taste authentic.
Finally, you might be wondering why there are both fresh and powdered onions and garlic. Fresh onions and garlic give texture and moisture. On the other hand, onion powder and garlic powder give more of a flavour punch without adding additional moisture.
How to make pasta omelette vegan
Although this great recipe looks sophisticated, it doesn’t require that much effort in truth. If you have leftover pasta, you can skip the pasta cooking step and dive right into it. All you need to do is;
Whisk the chickpea ‘egg’ ingredients in a non-stick frying pan on medium heat
Whisk aquafaba to stiff peaks
Add your Spaghetti to the chickpea egg mixture
Gently fold the whisked aquafaba into eggy spaghetti and bake.
That’s it!
This Maltese frittata is such a versatile food that you can eat for breakfast or brunch, lunch or chuck into a lunchbox with some baby spinach and sundried tomatoes for a healthy midday snack.
You can have so much fun with this vegan frittata recipe. Our friend Julie has created a brilliant fool-proof recipe that will work every time! And if you’re in the mood for experimentation, you can always add mushrooms, spinach, peppers or any other ingredient that you fancy into the mix. It’s also super easy to make this recipe gluten-free. You’d simply need to replace the pasta with a gluten-free alternative, nothing else! (Be sure to tag @thehealthymalteser on socials if you give this recipe a go 😉)
This spaghetti frittata can be served both warm or cold. I love to sprinkle it with some salt and pepper, a dash of tabasco sauce and serve with a baby spinach side salad.
If you’re into pasta, you’ll also enjoy making the traditional Maltese Imqarrun il-Forn (baked pasta) and Ross il-Forn (baked rice). These pasta casseroles are the epitome of gloriously delicious Mediterranean food that I’ve healthified for you to enjoy guilt free.
Vegan Froga tat-Tarja – a Maltese Spaghetti Omelette
Equipment
- Electric Hand Mixer
- Oven-safe Non-stick Pan Ø30cm
Ingredients
- 250 g Spaghetti I like using wholemeal
- 1 tsp Onion Powder
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1/2 Grated Onion squeeze the gratings in a kitchen towel to remove excess moisture
- 4 cloves Finely Grated Garlic
- 1 tsp Turmeric
- 1 tbsp Nutritional Yeast
- ½ tsp Baking Soda
- 1¼ cups Chickpea Flour
- 1 tsp Flax Meal heaped teaspoon
- 1 Grated Zest of a Lemon
- Kala Namak Black Salt and Pepper to season
- 1 cup Vegetable Broth add ½ cup at a time, making sure the consistency remains thick and creamy
- 1 can Aquafaba (the water inside a can of chickpeas)
- 1 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
- 2 tsp Cream of Tartar
- Chopped Parsley, Peperoncino and Vegan Parmesan to garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180°C.
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook spaghetti according to packaging instructions (around 10 minutes for wholemeal).
- Drain into a colander and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process. set aside. (You can skip the spaghetti step if you have leftovers).
- In an oven-safe non-stick pan, whisk together; onion & garlic powder, fresh garlic & onion, turmeric, nutritional yeast, baking soda, chickpea flour, flax, lemon zest, salt & pepper and vegetable broth. Keep whisking on medium to high heat until the mixture thickens.
- Using an electric mixer, whisk aquafaba to stiff peaks, adding apple cider vinegar and cream of tartar as you go. This will take around 6 minutes.
- Add spaghetti, parsley, pepperoncino & vegan parmesan to the chickpea mixture in the pan and gently fold in the aquafaba. Use a spatula to smooth out the mixture into a pancake-like shape in the pan.
- Bake in a preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until the top turns golden brown.
- Allow 10 to 15 minutes for the pasta omelette to set before removing from the pan.
- Slice and serve, topped with fresh parsley and a sprinkle of vegan Parmesan cheese.
Video
If you use My Fitness Pal to log your food, you can find this recipe listed on the database as ‘The Healthy Malteser Crispy Baked Tofu’.
Did you give this simple tofu recipe a go? We’d love to hear from you! Rate the recipe and leave your comments below. And don’t forget to Tag @TheHealthyMalteser on Facebook and Instagram for a chance to have your recipe featured in our stories!
Think your friends will like this recipe? Share it with them so they can try it out too! 😍