Frittata’s are Italian omelets without all the fuss. They are easy to make and extremely versatile
for both brunch and dinner. For this
frittata I roasted the zucchini to bring out its deep sweet notes. This was complemented by the flavorful
fontina and the salty Parmesan cheeses. It is just as good hot as it is cold or
at room temperature. I’ll make it and
save the leftovers for breakfast or lunch. You can serve it with a salad or an antipasto as pictured here.
Makes 4-8 servings
Roasted Zucchini
1 Medium Zucchini, (sliced ¾”)
2 Tbs Extra Virgin Olive Oil
¼ tsp Kosher Salt
Black Pepper (to taste)
Frittata
1/8 lb Pancetta (chopped small)
8 Eggs
¼ C Grated Parmesan
4 oz Shredded Fontina Cheese
½ C Milk
¼ tsp Kosher Salt
2 TBS Butter
Italian Bread or Baguette
Preheat the oven to 425F.
NOTE: This recipe requires a large 10”, well-seasoned, cast
iron pan. You will be placing the pan
under the broiler. If the pan is old and
scratched the frittata will stick.
Using a mandolin or sharp knife, cut the zucchini ¾”
thick. It’s important that they are all
sliced the same thickness. Place the cut
zucchini and sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon of table salt, pepper and 2 tablespoons
of oil. Mix to make sure that the
zucchini are well coated. Pour the zucchini into a large sheet pan and place in
the preheated oven. Cook for approximately 30 minutes or until the bottom of
the zucchini has started to turn a light golden brown. Immediately remove from the oven and place
them in a bowl to cool.
Slice the pancetta very small and fry over medium heat in a
small frying pan until crisp. Remove
from the pan with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
While the vegetables are cooking, whisk the eggs in a medium
bowl until uniform in color them add the salt, milk, Parmesan, fontina cheese
and the cooled zucchini until thoroughly mixed.
Heat your cast iron skillet over medium high heat on the
stove and add the butter. When the
butter melts and is foaming lower the heat to medium and add the egg-vegetable
mixture to the pan. Sprinkle the cooked
pancetta over the top.
DO NOT STIR. Cook until the edges have started to set, then
place the pan in the preheated oven for 5 minutes or until the middle is set.
USING AN OVEN MIT, shake the pan to see if it looks firm. Change the oven to High Broil. Keep it under the broiler until the top of
the frittata has turned a light golden brown.
Carefully remove the frittata from the oven—the handle will
be hot. Run a spatula around the edge
and slide it out onto a cutting board.
Cut and serve immediately with crusty Italian bread.
LEFTOVER
VEGYS
One
of the great things about frittatas is that you can use almost any leftover
vegetable in them. One of my family's
favorite meals is grilled sausage with peppers and onions. I will often have leftover peppers and onions
and use them in a frittata for dinner the next night. You can even add cooked, roasted potatoes that
have been thinly sliced. Only your
imagination limits this dish.
OPTIONAL INGREDIENTS
•
Mozzarella instead of Fontina
•
Romano instead of Parmesan
• Bacon instead of Pancetta
• Bell Peppers
•
Asparagus
•
Spinach
•
Broccoli
•
Sausage
•
Potatoes
My Italian club, Triangle Sons of Italy, held a cooking contest recently that pitted cooks from the Campagnia (Naples) region vs. cooks from Puglia (Bari). It is always intimidating cooking Italian food for other Italians, it's really nerve racking competing for the best regional food and having to cook for 45 people. However team Naples came through for me and we won the competition. Here is the winning menu with links to recipes for two of the dishes.
