  In the formation and evolution of compact stars, nuclear matter explores high
thermal excursions and is the site of intense neutrino emission. Neutrino
transport as well as structural properties of this matter depend on the
presence of inhomogeneous phases (named "pasta" phases), which are the result
of Coulomb frustration of the Liquid-Gas phase transition. We take into account
charge fluctuations by employing a frustrated lattice-gas model to which we
impose a neutrality constraint by the addition of an homogeneous background of
charge, representing delocalised electrons. Within this schematic model we
highlight a generaic feature of the phase-transition phenomenology: the
temperature interval where pasta phases are formed is enhanced by
Coulomb-frustration effects. This result is at variance with the behaviour of
frustrated ferromagnetic systems as well as hot nuclei and mean-field
approaches. Moreover, the region of phase coexistence is not found to end upon
a critical point, indicating that no critical opalescence can occur in
compact-star matter.
