Frittata

A Frittata is the Italian version of an omelet. Like many traditional Italian dishes, it is a great way to use leftover vegetables, cheeses, and meats

Traditional French omelettes are cooked in a deep skillet and are served folded. A Frittata is also cooked on a stove top, but is served open faced. Old World Italian Frittatas contained leftover pasta, sauce and grated cheese. Our modern egg-based Frittatas are either cooked in a covered deep skillet, or in a hinged pan that works like a Dutch oven.

There is no one way to make a Frittata. It is all a matter of personal choice, or whatever you have around the kitchen that has to be used up.

The following are some traditional ingredients that are used to make Frittatas. I don't have an exact recipe. You must determine how much of any particular item to use.

Ingredients

Extra virgin olive oil, enough to coat the pan
Fresh eggs
Milk or heavy cream, to be mixed with the eggs
Pancetta or bacon, fried and crumbled
Diced onion, fried until soft
Diced cooked peeled Tomatoes. Drain off the liquid before you add them
Diced pre-cooked potatoes. Dice finely, but do not overwhelm the dish
Pre-cooked chopped spinach. Rinsed and dried
Bell peppers, finely diced and precooked
Chopped fresh mushrooms, finely diced and slightly precooked
Minced garlic, finely diced and use sparingly
Parmigiano grated cheese. Use in mixture and for topping after it comes off the heat
Buffalo Mozzarella cheese. Finely diced. Great soft component that is not greasy
Cheddar cheese. Adds additional flavor
Ricotta cheese. Provides a nice soft center
Shredded Parmigiano cheese. Great for topping with texture
Chopped Italian sausage. May be substituted for Pancetta.
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Minced fresh sweet basil
The kitchen sink

Follow here to my previous Prima Festa recipe for Bechamel Sauce, which is a great white cheesy sauce for topping a Frittata.

Directions

Spinach Frittata ready to be sliced for Frittata and Broth soup

Follow here to my previous post at Spinach Frittata and Broth soup.

Whisk the eggs, milk and ground pepper in a large bowl and set aside. Add just enough extra virgin olive oil to coat the pan, and then pan fry the pancetta, sausage, or bacon. Remove and place on paper towels to soak up the excess oil. Pan fry all other vegetables until slightly softened.

Combine all of your chosen ingredients and stir into a large nonstick frying pan or skillet. Cover and simmer over low to medium heat. Always lightly lift up the edges to insure that the bottom is not being over cooked and browned. If there is too much liquid on top, pull it to the edges.

When the center is set, top with any cheese you desire. I chose to add the grated cheese and chopped mozzarella in with the mixture, and on the top minutes before it is completely cooked.

Note: Do not over cook the bottom. If the Frittata forms a bottom burnt brown crust, remove it with a small knife. It really detracts from the flavor. At times, I use a heat diffuser under the pan to help cook the mixture evenly.

Some people make it a practice to cover the Frittata with a large dish, flip it over, and place the top side on the bottom of the frying pan. While this may work, you take a chance of spilling or tearing the Frittata. Cooking over low to moderate heat in a covered pan will cook both top and bottom evenly.

The finished Frittata can be served immediately, or used as a good brunch item at room temperature. Strips of Frittata are also used in traditional broth based Italian soups, and cold salads.

A great compliment for Frittata is a hearty loaf of Italian Tuscan bread.

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