One of the most significant components of Italian cuisine is its heritage in the cucina povera and a no-food-waste philosophy. Today, recipes derived from these traditions provide the backbone for some of the country's most beloved dishes. Once upon a time, Italians crafted these preparations from whatever was leftover, while today, they purchase the ingredients necessary to make them.
That being said, you can keep these seven recipes in mind if you ever find yourself with a surplus of any of the said ingredients.
1. Frico
This ooey-gooey cheese pancake of sorts typical hails from Friuli-Venezia Giulia, created as a way to use up leftover Montasio cheese scraps and rinds. There are dozens of ways to make it – some recipes even incorporate potatoes. Can't find Montasio? Cheeses such as Asiago, Piave, and Pecorino also work well.
2. Mozzarella in Carrozza
Speaking of ooey-gooey, mozzarella in carrozza is the Italian answer to grilled cheese. The recipe sprang up in and around Campania as means of putting old mozzarella to good use. Today, it's considered epic, crave-worthy comfort food at its most satisfying.
3. Panzanella
Tuscan farmers created this bread salad to give a second life to stale bread. Originally comprised of bread, onions, and vinegar, Panzanella came to include tomatoes as they became more widespread around the peninsula in the 16th century. Nowadays, this must-eat dish is a summer signature of Tuscany and beyond.
4. Pasta Timbale
Often associated with Stanely Tucci and his film Big Night, a timbale is a preparation that combines cooked pasta in a mold with assorted ingredients, then bakes them – just one of several ways to enjoy leftover pasta.
5. Pasta Frittata
Another recipe rooted in Campania, pasta frittata reduces food waste by cooking leftover pasta with the eggs and whatever else you want to add: cheese, guanciale, etc. – the perfect excuse to go overboard when preparing spaghetti. You can even specially prepare a pasta frittata based on preparations like amatriciana, carbonara, and cacio e pepe.
6. Riso al Salto
A staple of Lombard cuisine, riso al salto graces the menu of many a Milanese trattoria. The dish comprises leftover risotto that's been pan-fried in butter until it forms a brown and crispy pancake – al salto means “jump,” a reference to how the rice is sautéed. While the most common iteration is made from leftover risotto alla Milanese, the technique can apply to any kind of risotto.
7. Polenta Pizza
Leftover polenta knows no bounds, and polenta pizza is one of the coziest interpretations. Spread the leftover polenta on a breaking tray and top like a pizza with whatever you wish – the recipe below incorporates sausage, radicchio, and onions.