I'm my usual writing-late-in-the-day self, and now that I've finally remembered to take a picture of something yummy for Kim's Tasty Tuesday at Forever ... Wherever, I just discovered today is the very last day she plans to do it. Well, dang ... I guess Mr. Linky needs to say You're LAST! instead of You're Next :o)
As my dad used to say, better last than never ...
This is one of my favorite fast-and-easy meals, delicious any time of day ... breakfast, lunch, dinner, brunch, or late night snack. It's a veggie and cheese fritatta, which is kind of like an omelet -- but easier and made to share -- and kind of like a quiche without crust, but much faster and with far fewer calories. It takes longer to read the directions than it takes to cook the fritatta.
Fritattas are Italian, made with eggs, cheese, and anything else you'd like to toss in. This is a great dish for fresh-from-the-garden veggies, or for using up whatever yummy leftovers are in the fridge. You can make a fritatta for one person (2 eggs, in a small saute pan), 2 people (3 or 4 eggs, in a small or medium pan), or to feed the entire family (8 or more eggs in a large frying pan). Fritattas can be served hot, cold, or at room temp, so they're also great to make ahead.
Here's a basic recipe for a large fritatta ... exact measurements aren't important, and you can cut the recipe in half if you're only feeding one or two people. I use a large pan for making 4 egg or 8+ egg fritattas ... more eggs makes a thicker fritatta, which takes a couple extra minutes to cook.
Ingredients:
8 eggs, lightly beaten with 2 to 4 tablespoons milk or cream
Chopped veggies of your choice, 1 to 3 cups: for the fritatta pictured above, I used 2 small cubed Yukon gold potatoes, 1 yellow onion, 2 or 3 green onions, a couple cloves of garlic, sliced mushrooms, chopped fresh spinach, and some red bell pepper that was already sliced for crudites.
Cheese: Cheese is optional, but we always add cheese. I like to stir a few tablespoons of grated parmesan cheese into the eggs-and-milk mixture, and I add another 1/2 to 1 cup (or more) of any kind of soft grated cheese ... mozzarella, jack, cheddar, etc.
Salt, pepper, fresh or dried herbs ... to taste.
Olive oil or veggie oil ... 1 to 2 tablespoons.
Preparation:
Get everything chopped and mixed before starting, because this cooks quickly.
Preheat your broiler, with the rack about 6" below the heat source.
Heat the olive oil in a large oven-safe frying pan (I use cast iron). Add veggies in the order in which they'll cook ... potatoes first, if you're using them, then onions and mushrooms, followed by bell peppers and green onions right before adding the egg mixture.
Saute veggies till done. You can add a couple tablespoons of water and cover the pan to speed this up, if desired. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and herbs. I used fresh rosemary for the fritatta in the photo -- I keep two 4" pots of rosemary (from Lowe's) in a basket in my kitchen window, so I can snip it off and toss it in many recipes.
Adjust heat under pan to medium or medium high. Pour in eggs-milk-and parmesan mixture, let it begin cooking, and then stir gently, like for scrambled eggs. When eggs are about half cooked, toss in a handful or two of freshly grated cheese. Using a wooden spoon or heat-proof spatula, spread eggs evenly across pan and pat down gently. Remove pan from heat.
I add more grated cheese at this point, plus a handful of chopped green onions, so it looks pretty when it's done.
Place frying pan on rack beneath hot broiler and cook for 2 to 5 minutes, until the eggs puff up a bit and the top begins to brown.
Remove pan from oven and let rest for 5 minutes for eggs to finish cooking. Slice into wedges or scoop out with a spoon. Garnish with fresh fruit or herbs, if desired. This goes great with a crisp salad, sourdough rolls or whole grain bread, and a glass of chilled white wine.
See how the egg sticks a bit to the edges of the pan? It's supposed to do that, so don't worry that you did something wrong. Fritattas are more user-friendly than omelets ... no rolling, folding, or stuffing. This is authentic, rustic Italian cooking, the kind of food people travel all the way to Tuscany to eat ... and now YOU can make it in your very own home and eat it in your jammies.
Now that spring veggies are showing up at our farmer's market, I'm making fritattas at least twice a week, usually for my own lunch or family brunch, and our sons finish off any leftovers the moment they walk through the door.
Some yummy ingredients to consider using: crumbled bacon or diced ham, kalamata olives, ortega chiles, fresh dill or thyme, raisins, fresh or frozen peas, chopped broccoli, Italian sausage, fresh or sundried tomatoes, pesto ... just about anything you'd put in an omelette or on a pizza works great! I like my fritatta garnished with sliced avocado and a little sour cream ... my sister likes it with marinara sauce drizzled over the top.
Bon appetit!