Anytime Frittata

The whole point of this dish is that you can make it anytime, for any meal, with almost anything that you have hanging out in the dark recesses of your fridge or from what needs to be harvested from the garden. You can never go wrong with a heap of leftover roasted vegetables, cheese, and a bunch of fresh herbs, but feel free to go a little crazy and add some leftover pasta or potatoes. 

A frittata is a freeform Italian egg dish made by cooking beaten eggs (plus assorted mix-ins) over low heat and then finished in the oven. “Frittata” loosely translates to “fried” in Italian because of the use of a skillet in the cooking process.

Ingredients

-8 large room temperature pasture raised eggs

-¼ cup heavy cream or whole milk

-1 cup shredded cheese, like Gruyere, sharp cheddar, fontina, or crumbled goat cheese

-2 cups filling cut into small pieces, like bacon, chorizo, ham or prosciutto; asparagus, zucchini, tomatoes or thinly sliced onions or potatoes; even greens like baby spinach or baby kale-this is where you can be creative as you can use just about anything in your fritatta. *See note on fillings

-3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

-2-3 cloves garlic, minced

-Kosher salt and black pepper

-Handful of fresh herbs, like mint, thyme, or green onions

Method

  • Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 400°F.

  • Combine the eggs, heavy cream (or milk), and ½ tsp salt into a large bowl, and beat until frothy.

  • Heat olive oil in an ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat, then add your filling. Cook meats first, removing from pan before cooking any additional vegetables and garlic in the richly flavored fat. Combine all fillings together before sprinkling cheese over the top. Note: If not using any meat, increase the amount of olive oil.

  • Pour egg mixture on top of filling and cheese; tilt pan gently until eggs cover all the filling.

  • Bring heat down to medium, and allow to cook until eggs are just beginning to set at the edge, 4-5 minutes.

  • Transfer pan to oven and let cook another 5-8 minutes, until the custard is set and the top is golden brown and crispy. To test for doneness, insert a toothpick or make a shallow cut in the middle of the frittata: If the custard runs, give it a few more minutes. If it holds, it’s ready to eat.

  • Let frittata cool in the pan for 2 minutes before slicing into wedges. Leftovers can be kept in the refrigerator in a sealed container for a week.

How to Make a Happy Frittata

  1. Don’t complicate it: . Too many components will weigh down your frittata and prevent the egg custard from cooking evenly. Instead, choose a few star ingredients and stick with them.

  2. Think about moisture. Too many high-moisture ingredients can turn your frittata into a watery mess. When using zucchini or mushrooms for example, which contain about 94% water, remember to sauté thoroughly prior to adding your eggs in order to evaporate excess moisture. If you’re using mozzarella cheese, opt for low-moisture variety, rather than the fresh mozzarella.

  3. Use the toothpick method. To check your frittata’s doneness during cooking, insert a toothpick into the center. When the toothpick comes out clean, you’re good to go.

  4. Don’t overcook. Watch your frittata closely! Every second matters. The incredibly quick cook time is one of its best features, but that also means rubbery, dry eggs are just seconds away. You want a frittata with a firm jiggle, not a wobble.

Wine Pairings

Sancerre or Pouilly-Fumé

Crisp dry whites like Chablis and Italian dry whites like Soave and Gavi di Gavi.

Alsace Pinot Blanc or a lighter style of Chardonnay like a Mâcon-Villages.

Sparkling wines like Cava – and, of courseChampagne – are always options with any egg dish.

Reds also work if you have a more robust filling such as mushrooms or bacon – or even chorizo. A young Rhône red or Rioja   

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