It’s late Sunday morning, you’re leisurely sipping on a warm cup of coffee or tea and thinking about what to have for brunch. Maybe you’re still feeling the aftermath of the last glass of wine you had after supper, or perhaps you just aren’t in the mood to invest much time into this. You head over to the refrigerator to see what the options are, all the while wishing leftover pizza will suddenly appear out of nowhere and be sitting on the shelf. Sadly, a magical pizza fairy has not blessed you this day and the only left-over food you see are some cooked vegetables from supper. How will you turn these vegetables into a meal that’s not too involved or time-consuming? The answer comes from Italy, make a Frittata.
The Frittata is a bit like scrambled eggs, crustless Quiche, Spanish Tortilla (which usually includes cooked potatoes), or an unfolded Omelet. In Italy, mothers and grandmothers will whip up a Frittata as a quick and easy snack using whatever meat or vegetables they have around the house. You might also see a Frittata at a bar being offered as a bite to eat between meals with an espresso or glass of wine. In my experiences, they were always served at room temperature in Italy, but at home I like to eat it hot with melted cheese on the top.
It’s perfectly acceptable to add whatever cooked vegetables and meat you have handy. Fresh herbs or fresh spinach added at the end of cooking are nice too. In this recipe, I used zucchini and mushrooms that have been cooked with onion and garlic. I typically add a few dashes of Tabasco, but that’s not traditional. Don’t be afraid to make it your own, this is a forgiving recipe.
Frittata
Serves 2 -3
3 large eggs
1 Tablespoon milk (nut milk or animal milk)
2 dashes of Tabasco (optional)
Salt & pepper to taste
1 tsp Crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
2 Tablespoons Parmesan or Pecorino cheese grated (optional)
½-1 cup cooked vegetables
Shredded cheese of your choice (optional)
¼ cup fresh baby or chopped spinach (optional)
1 Tablespoon of olive oil
Heat olive oil in a non-stick oven safe sauté or fry pan until shimmering slightly. Add the cooked vegetables evenly across the bottom of the pan.
In a bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, Tabasco, Parmesan, pepper flake, salt, and pepper. Pour egg mixture evenly over vegetables in the pan and reduce heat to low.
Method 1: Cook until edges start to brown slightly then turn out onto a plate and slide back into the pan. Continue to cook until edges start to brown slightly. Optionally, sprinkle with shredded cheese, fresh spinach, fresh herbs, and cook until cheese is melted.
** This method can be difficult and messy, so it’s not my favorite.
Method 2: Place pan into a preheated oven at 350 degrees and cook until eggs set up and begin to brown slightly. Gently shake the pan to test for doneness. Optionally, sprinkle top with shredded cheese, fresh spinach, fresh herbs if using and cook until just melted.
Method 3 (my favorite): Cook until edges start to brown slightly. Cover with a tight fitting lid and continue to cook until set. Gently shake the pan to test for doneness. Optionally, sprinkle top with shredded cheese, fresh spinach, fresh herbs if using and cook until just melted.
Serve warm or at room temperature.
