Froġa tat-Tarja

Name: Froġa tat-Tarja (Vermicelli Omelette)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Yield: 4 people
Cuisine: Maltese
Ingredients: 150g wheat vermicelli or very thin spaghetti (not rice noodles); 5 eggs; 50g grated cheese; Small handful fresh parsley, chopped; 1 tbsp olive oil; Salt and black pepper to taste; Pinch nutmeg (optional)

Vermicelli Omelette

A simple Maltese vermicelli omelette made with eggs, pasta, cheese, and parsley. Quick, frugal, and excellent hot or cold.

Prep: 10 minutes Cook: 15 minutes Servings: 4 people

Jump to recipe

Watercolour illustration of golden vermicelli omelette with a cut wedge showing fine pasta strands.

Ingredients

Have your ingredients ready? Go to instructions

Measures: 1 tbsp = 15ml; 1 tsp = 5ml. For local ingredient names and substitutions, see our guide to Maltese ingredients abroad.

150g wheat vermicelli or very thin spaghetti (not rice noodles)
5 eggs
50g grated cheese
Small handful fresh parsley, chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt and black pepper to taste
Pinch nutmeg (optional)

Instructions

Cook the pasta: Boil the vermicelli in salted water until just tender. Drain well and cool slightly.
Mix: Beat the eggs with the grated cheese, parsley, salt, pepper, and nutmeg if using. Stir in the cooked pasta.
Cook: Heat the olive oil in a non-stick frying pan. Add the mixture and cook over medium-low heat until set underneath.
Turn: Flip carefully using a plate, then cook the other side until golden and set.
Serve: Rest for a few minutes before cutting into wedges.

Froġa tat-Tarja is a Maltese vermicelli omelette, made with cooked pasta, eggs, cheese, and parsley. It is quick, economical, and just as good cold as it is hot, making it a useful everyday recipe.

Serving Suggestions

Serve in wedges with salad
Pack cold slices for lunch
Add to a picnic spread
Pair with tomato relish or pickles

Traditional Notes & Tips

Leftover cooked pasta works well
Keep the heat moderate so the centre sets without burning
A plate makes flipping easier
Some families add a little onion or garlic
The texture should be firm enough to slice

Try it in Malta & Gozo

These restaurants list this dish or a related version on their published menus. Our recipe is an independent home version.

Gululu — St Julian’s, Malta. Froġa tat-tarja biż-zalzett Malti. Gululu adds Maltese sausage to its fried pasta cake; our recipe is a simpler version.

Explore Maltese restaurants and their menus. Menus checked 28 October 2026; confirm availability directly.