Frittata For Dinner & A Kitchen Sink Frittata Recipe

August 6, 2016 at 8:51 am · Filed under Breakfast & Brunch, Eggs, Recipes, Tip Of The Day, Vegetables-Salads-Herbs

For breakfast, lunch, or dinner, make a frittata (free-TA-ta).

A frittata is an Italian-style omelet, set in the frying pan in the oven*—no folding required. We’ve been making them for years, because our omelets never looked neat enough and we had no patience to work on our technique.

With an omelet, the filling ingredients are placed on the beaten eggs that are setting in the pan. As the omelet continues to cook, it is folded with a spatula to envelop the ingredients (that’s the part that requires practice, practice, practice).

With a frittata—the name comes from the Italian friggere, to fry—the eggs and other ingredients are mixed together, then cooked more slowly than an omelet. The egg mixture completely fills a round skillet: no folding. The result looks like a crustless quiche. The name derives from the Italian friggere, to fry.

As with a quiche, a frittata can be served at room temperature

WHAT TO PUT IN A FRITTATA

Sometimes we add so many vegetables that we end up with “veggies bound with some egg.” You can add anything else you have, from beans to leftover grains and potatoes.

There are countless frittata recipes online, with oven, stovetop or stovetop/broiler cooking techniques. We prefer the oven—it’s the easiest for us—but try them all to see which works best for you.

Consider:

Cheese: any kind, crumbled, cubed or shredded as appropriate

Fresh herbs: basil, chives, cilantro, dill, parsley or other favorite

Heat: fresh or dried chile, hot sauce

Meats: bacon, ham, sausage

Miscellany: canned artichoke hearts, capers, olives

Seafood: crab, scallops, shrimp (great when there aren’t enough left over for a main dish)

Vegetables: Anything goes (see list† below)—pre-steam as necessary

National Farmers Market Week begins tomorrow, so head for yours and make a selection.

Vegetables: Anything goes (see list† below)—pre-steam as necessary

RECIPE: KITCHEN SINK FRITTATA

This “kitchen sink” frittata shows that you can take whatever you have in the fridge or pantry and toss it together for delicious results. We once had a “Surprise BYO” brunch with friends; everyone brought a favorite ingredient (we had extra ingredients in the fridge in case everyone brought the same thing).

If you don’t have or like any of the ingredients, substitute what you do have.

Ingredients For 2 Servings

4 eggs

Pinch salt (more saltiness comes with the feta)

1 cup feta, crumbled

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced

3 green onions, chopped

1 ear of corn, shucked and kernels removed

½ pint cherry tomatoes, quartered

Handful of basil leaves, torn

3 green onions, chopped

Salt and fresh-ground pepper to taste

Optional: a shake of red pepper flakes or other heat

Plus

Side salad

Toast or bread and butter

Potato & Sausage Frittata
[1] Use boiled potatoes and sausage for this family favorite. Here’s the recipe from Applegate.

Avocado Arugula Frittata
[2] You can top a frittata with fresh veggies, including avocado (photo © Avocados From Mexico).

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*You can also use the stove top and broiler, but in the oven no flipping is required.

†Try any blend: avocado, asparagus, bell pepper, broccoli, carrot, chard, eggplant, kale, mushrooms, onion/leek/green onion, potatoes (boiled/roasted), spinach, zucchini and so on.
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Preparation

1. PREHEAT the oven to 375°F. Beat together the eggs and a pinch of salt in a mixing bowl. Add the feta and whisk together.

2. HEAT the olive oil in a 6” cast iron pan. When hot, add the garlic and onions and cook until they start to color, about 3 minutes. Add the corn, tomatoes, and basil. Lower the heat to medium and cook together for about 5 minutes until the onions are how you like them. Then scrape the contents into a bowl and let cool.

3. REGREASE the bottom and sides of the pan. Mix the egg mixture with the corn and tomatoes, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour the mixture into the pan and bake until the center of the frittata is just set and no longer jiggling, about 15 to 20 minutes.

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