Summer Vegetable Frittata (Italian Baked Omelette)

 

Frittata, from the Italian word for "fried", is often more baked than fried. I used to think of it as fancy stuff in college. It's like a delicate omelette pie, or a crustless quiche. Filled with fresh seasonal vegetables, it is usually baked until the custard is barely set. It tasted like something that would be challenging to make because of the perfectly smooth texture. Until I realized the oven-bake method is really a godsend for people who can't master temperature-control over the stove. Perfect omelette was allegedly the test to tell if a chef is good. But the perfect frittata, I dare say, is not hard at all to make. 

The master formula is basically, 1 tablespoon dairy for each egg.  You can use milk or cream, or somewhere in between like half&half. The milk will yield a flan-like texture, and cream will yield a richer, creme brulee like texture. Use enough egg & milk/cream mixture to bind a pan full of cooked fillings. You can fill a 9 inch pan with anywhere from 4~6 eggs. Use a nonstick pan for easy release.

Because the custard actually sets very quickly in the oven, you want to basically cook through your vegetables (and/or meat) on the stove first. Frittata is an excellent fridge cleaner for leftovers, if you have baked potatoes, deli meat, or roasted vegetables from the night before. But for optimal result, I think any 'watery' vegetable (like zucchini or any squash) is best cooked fresh so they retain some firmness when the omelette pie is baked.  

Ingredients: 

  • 4 large eggs
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1/4 cup grated cheese 
  • 1 cooked potato
  • 1 zucchini
  • 1 sweet hot pepper
  • 1 shallot
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1/2 tsp coarse sea salt
  • 1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper

Instructions:

  1. Cut potatoes, zucchini , pepper into large pieces. Fry in olive oil until browned
  2. Add chopped shallot and crushed garlic. Saute until fragrant. Add salt and pepper to taste.
  3. Whisk together egg and milk. Pour over the cooked vegetables. Top with grated cheese.
  4. Stir to even out the heat in the frying pan.
  5. Broil or bake at 375 for 8~10min, or just until set.

Enjoy!

Check out my YouTube Channel for step-by-step video! 


 


 


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