Easy Elegance Frittatas
by Sara Tamayo
I love to make frittatas because even though the result seems like a somewhat elegant dish to serve to my family or guests, they are surprisingly easy to make. A frittata provides the goodness of an omelet without the aggravation of trying to flip the thing over at the right moment. They are more forgiving than omelets; you don’t have to be precise. After you make frittatas a few times, you can just start dumping things together. Also, I can be creative with them; there is no set recipe for making a frittata.
I personally prefer the “whatever is in the fridge” approach to making frittatas. And since I rarely actually measure my ingredients they really do come out different every time. Also, since we are fortunate to have an abundance of produce in our area, I like to put a lot of veggies in my frittatas.
I love to use the cast iron skillet handed down to me from my Grandmother to make these, but any skillet will do that can go from the top of a stove into an oven.
Here’s a basic frittata recipe that will get you started:
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 small diced onion
2 tablespoons minced herbs, such as basil, tarragon, thyme, or dil
1/2 cup grated cheese, any kind you like
1/4 tablespoon of salt
1/4 tablespoon ground black pepper
6 large eggs lightly beaten
Recipe
Preheat oven to 350°.
Heat olive oil in a 10-inch skillet.
Add onions.
Sauté until the onions are soft (3-4 minutes).
Stir in herbs.
Mix cheese, salt, and pepper together with the eggs.
Pour the egg mixture into a skillet and stir with a fork until the eggs start to set.
Lift a corner of the eggs and tilt the skillet to let the uncooked eggs run beneath the cooked.
Put the skillet into the oven and bake until the frittata is set (10-15 minutes).
Remove from the oven and run a spatula around the edge of the skillet to loosen.
Invert the skillet and let the frittata gently fall onto a serving plate.
As you make frittatas you can, of course, add whatever tasty veggies you have available. I like cooked potatoes, red pepper, asparagus, or artichoke hearts. Use about 3/4 to one cup of filling per six eggs. You could also add precooked pieces of bacon or sausage, or serve them on the side.
Another wonderful thing about frittatas is that they can be served warm, at room temperature, or chilled. So this makes them prefect for picnics, cocktail parties, or tastings in the vineyard. Which brings me to wine. A great wine with this is a Chardonnay, one that is a little on the buttery side works well with the cheese.
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