Frittatina di pasta
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The frittatina di pasta is Naples' way of frying pasta. Cooked bucatini are bound with béchamel and cheese, left to set, cut or pressed into a thick disc, breaded and deep-fried. It is crisp outside, soft and creamy inside, and it is sold at every fry counter and as a starter in most pizzerias.
It costs about two euros. On menus checked September 30, 2026, a frittatina is €2 at La Masardona in Case Nuove and at SfogliateLab on Piazza Garibaldi, and €2.50 at 1947 Pizza Fritta in Forcella and at Starita in Materdei.
At a glance
- What it is
- Cooked bucatini mixed with béchamel and cheese, set, shaped into a thick disc, breaded and deep-fried.
- Price in 2026
- €2 at La Masardona and at SfogliateLab; €2.50 at 1947 Pizza Fritta and Starita (menus checked September 30, 2026).
- Restaurant version
- Umberto in Chiaia serves two small 'carbonara' frittatine with guanciale and pecorino for €7.
- When
- Lunch or a snack. Pizzerias serve it as a starter before the pizza.
- Heat warning
- The béchamel core holds heat. Wait two minutes after it comes out of the oil.
In this guide
Where and what it costs
| Where | Frittatina | Source date |
|---|---|---|
| La Masardona, Case Nuove | €2 | Own menu, Sept 30, 2026 |
| SfogliateLab, Piazza Garibaldi 82 / Piazza Dante 80 | €2 | Own shop, Sept 30, 2026 |
| 1947 Pizza Fritta, Forcella | €2.50 | Own menu, 2025–26 |
| Starita, Materdei | €2.50 | Menu PDF, November 2024 |
| Umberto, Chiaia | €7 for two small "carbonara" | Menu PDF, June 2026 |
The same counters sell crocchè (potato croquettes) and arancini at the same price. At 1947 all three are €2.50 each. If you want several, a cuoppo of mixed fried bites (€6 at Masardona and 1947) is better value.
What is inside
Every shop has its own recipe. Umberto's menu spells out one version: bucatini, béchamel, pecorino, egg, black pepper and guanciale. Classic street versions often add minced meat or ham, peas and provola; ask at the counter if you avoid pork.
Tandem, the ragù specialist, sells a close cousin with ragù inside: fried lasagna fritters with ricotta, provola, meatballs and egg, two for €10.
How to eat it
- From the paper, standing. Nobody uses cutlery at a counter.
- Break it in half to let the steam out, then wait.
- Early. Fry shops sell out and often close after lunch. Masardona's original shop has published no hours; the 2022 listing we found had it closing mid-afternoon.
- Hot or not at all. A frittatina that has sat under a lamp for an hour turns heavy. If the tray is full and nobody is frying, buy something else and come back later.
- As a starter, before a baked pizza. Many pizzerias fry them to order.
A cheap fried lunch
For about €10 a head you can eat very well: a frittatina (€2) and a classic pizza fritta (€6) at Masardona, then a sfogliatella (€2) at SfogliateLab across Piazza Garibaldi. Our cheap eats guide maps more stops under €10.
Tickets and tours you can book
Naples: Street Food Walking Tour with Local Guide
Cannot cater for vegan, dairy-free or gluten-free diets; vegetarian only if you say so in advance. Tips not included.
Rating as shown on GetYourGuide
Not Just Another Naples Street Food Tour with Tastings
Up to 12; needs 2 bookings. Not for severe food allergies. Children under 4 go free but get no food.
Rating as shown on Viator
Booking through these links supports this site at no cost to you. Prices move by date, so we do not print them here; the official prices we checked are in the page above.
Frequently asked questions
How much is a frittatina in Naples?
€2 at La Masardona and SfogliateLab, €2.50 at 1947 Pizza Fritta and Starita, on menus checked September 30, 2026.
What is a frittatina made of?
Bucatini pasta bound with béchamel and cheese, set into a disc, breaded and fried. Many versions add minced meat or ham and peas.
Is a frittatina vegetarian?
Often not: ham, guanciale or minced meat are common. Ask. Umberto says its carbonara frittatine can be made vegetarian.
Where can I eat a frittatina near the central station?
Two options a few minutes' walk from Napoli Centrale: La Masardona at Via Giulio Cesare Capaccio 27 in Case Nuove (€2) and SfogliateLab at Piazza Garibaldi 82, opposite the station (€2). Both are useful before a Circumvesuviana train to Pompeii.
What is the difference between a frittatina and an arancino?
A frittatina is made of pasta; an arancino is a ball of rice. Both are breaded, fried and sold at the same counters for the same price.
Further reading
Official sources
- Masardona - Case Nuove menu (official) – Frittatina €2, crocchè €2, cuoppo of 12 €6; checked September 30, 2026
- SfogliateLab - online shop (official) – Frittatina €2.00, crocchè €2.00; Piazza Garibaldi 82 and Piazza Dante 80
- 1947 Pizza Fritta - menu (official) – Crocchè, arancino or frittatina €2.50 each; cuoppo €6
- Pizzerie Starita - Naples menu PDF (official) – Frittatina €2.50 (dated November 2024, linked as current)
- Umberto - menu June 2026 (official PDF) – Two frittatine 'carbonara' (bucatini, béchamel, pecorino, egg, pepper, guanciale; vegetarian on request) €7
- Tandem - English menu PDF (official, July 2026) – Fried lasagna fritters, 2 pieces, €10
