I’m enamored with frittatas.  Not only do you get all of the possibilities of an omelet, but you don’t have to worry about flipping it at the end.  Whatever you happen to have hanging out in the fridge or the pantry is fair game, work is minimal and the result is good hot from the oven or at room temperature. Frittata can be breakfast, brunch, an appetizer, a starter or the main course of any dinner, they are that versatile.

While all frittata recipes are similar, each variation has its own special little variations, which is why you’ll see so many different recipes for this dilectable dish out there.  This one came from two distinct needs.  The first was to get some food in me because I was starving.  The other was to find a use for some bacon left over from some wraps I whipped up the night before. In both cases this dish was imminently satisfactory.

If you’ve never thought of pairing eggs with broccoli, give it a whirl!  Broccoli and cheddar frittatas are one of my go-to early morning meals, both because I love them and because they can be baking away while I deal with morning dishes and my son’s breakfast.  By the time I’m done, breakfast is ready for Dad as well.  You can’t beat that for simple and convenient.

Do you have a favorite frittata recipe? If so, why not share it in the comments, there’s always room for another great frittata recipe.

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Coming up with ideas for a simple yet hearty meal during the holidays can be a bit difficult, so why not try this approach?

I’d made some farfalle with broccoli, cauliflower and a sour cream sauce a few nights before, and was looking it over for lunch, but I wasn’t feeling any love for the dish as a leftover. since we’ve been doing holiday meals over the past week or so, I also wasn’t in the mood to find yet another way to recycle more turkey or ham. the simple solution…

Make a frittata!

Any pasta will work for this application, though I personally tend to stick to those with a white sauce. Amounts will vary depending on the amount you’ve got on hand, but this is a good general guideline.

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Sometimes plans change at the drop of a hat in my kitchen. I’d planed on making a few omelets on Sunday morning for a nice sit down brunch with my wife, and then it happened. I reached into the fridge to pull out the basic “eggs/milk/butter” and some mushrooms I wanted to use up, and there was a half wedge of Parmesan Reggiano, just staring at me, all dried-up and neglected looking.

I couldn’t have that cheese looking all pathetic like that. I could tell that the Romano had been making fun of it, what with its wrapper intact and still looking like the prettiest girl at the harvest moon ball. (We’ll be fixing that in a day or so!) And then I remembered that Shawnda of Confections of a Foodie Bride had just posted on frittata and my path was set.

I don’t know why I don’t make frittata more often. They’re simple, versatile and oh-so delectable. Any combination of ingredients that you’d use for a regular omelet can be tossed in, and you never have to worry about getting the bugger to flip properly. The other added benefit is that it’s very difficult to under cook a frittata, so the whole “runny eggs” issue simply isn’t a problem either.

For this particular dish, I decided on spinach and mushrooms, sautéed with onions and garlic. Add in some fresh Parmesan and you’ve got a simple meal in about 30 minutes that tastes heavenly and looks like you’ve slaved over it for hours, which makes it perfect to serve guests as well. This is one of those meals that you really should have in your “go to” file.

Note: The list of ingredients below looks pretty daunting, but this is probably one of the simplest recipes you’ll ever find. Feel free to substitute whatever you’ve got on hand, it’ll still be great!

Ingredients:

7 eggs
1 10 oz package spinach (either fresh, or if you’re looking for instant gratification, a defrosted frozen spinach works just as well here.)
Approx 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1 small (8oz) packaged sliced button mushrooms
1 medium onion, chopped
4 large cloves garlic, minced (or 4 tsp minced garlic, if you prefer)
1 good handful chopped parsley (Flat leaf would work best, but I haven’t been able to find it lately)
1 tbsp Italian Seasoning
1 tsp sage (fresh is best, chiffenade about 5 leaves.. Again, I didn’t have any, so dry works)
Salt and pepper to taste
7 tbsp milk
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Method:

Preheat oven to 350°F

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Sweat onions and garlic in 2 tbsp olive oil until just translucent and softened. Add Mushrooms, breaking up any very large pieces. Allow to cook until well browned. Add salt, pepper and spinach. (If using fresh spinach, cook until completely wilted. If using frozen, cook until heated through.) Remove from pan and place in strainer to remove as much liquid as possible.

Wipe pan clean with paper towel, add remaining olive oil and return to heat.

In large bowl, beat eggs and milk together. Add 1/2 of the cheese and all remaining ingredients, mix well. Pour mixture into skillet and allow to sit over flame until eggs begin to bubble. Place skillet in oven and cook until eggs are set (approx 20 minutes).

Sprinkle remaining cheese over the top of the frittata and return to oven until cheese is melted and slightly browned.

Let rest for 5 10 minutes and serve.

What I would have done differently had I thought of it at the time:

Nuffin… This was wonderful, and I’ll be pumping out other variations on the theme over time. Enjoy!

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