How to Make a Simple Frittata

The frittata is an easy dish that everyone should consider adding to their cooking arsenal. In many ways, it's the perfect dish for the typical Casual Kitchen reader. It's like an omelet, but easier to make. It's like a quiche, but healthier. And best of all, this dish looks like it's a lot more work to make than it really is.

And since nobody has yet coined the phrase "real men don't eat frittatas," sitting down to a easy and laughably cheap frittata dinner doesn't include an implied threat to your manhood.

The frittata recipe I'll share with you today includes spinach, feta cheese, garlic, onions and tomatoes, but keep in mind the primary advantage of the fritatta is that it can contain almost anything. Leftover veggies, invigorating greens--whatever you have sitting around in your fridge is fair game, as long as you think the ingredients will go well together.

Finally, for those of you who are interested, I've included a brief list of additional frittata recipes and resources at the bottom of this post.

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Greek Frittata

Ingredients:

6 eggs
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 small onion, chopped
1-2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1-2 Tablespoons olive oil
4 cups spinach, torn into medium-sized pieces
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

Directions:
1) Beat eggs and black pepper, set aside.
2) In a large, deep, broiler proof non-stick pan, saute onions and garlic in oil on medium heat until soft, about 4-5 minutes. While onions and garlic are sauteing, turn on oven broiler. Add torn spinach, saute another 2 minutes until spinach is limp. Add feta cheese.
3) Pour egg/pepper mixture into pan. As the eggs begin to set, run a spatula around the edge of the skillet, lifting the mixture to allow uncooked portions to flow underneath. Continue cooking and lifting until the entire egg mixture is almost set (the top surface should still be moist).
4) Place pan under your broiler roughly 4 inches from the heat source. Broil for 2-3 minutes, until the top of the frittata is set. Cut into wedges and serve.

Serves 3.
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This recipe seems almost too easy to be true, but it really does amount to nothing more than sauteeing whatever leftover veggies or frittata fillings you have handy, dumping the beaten egg mixture over the top of it...

Futzing with it for a few minutes by lifting up the edges and making sure the entire egg mixture starts to set....
(Isn't it shocking how unappetizing it can be to look at a close-up photo of a partially cooked egg dish?)
....and then just take the entire pan and stick it in the oven, just a few inches away from the broiler burner. In a matter of minutes you'll be eating!

Frittata Recipe Resources:
40 Frittata recipes at Recipezaar.com
Top 20 best Frittata recipes at Allrecipes.com
30 Fritatta recipes at Cooksrecipes.com

Related Posts:
When High-Fat Food Can Actually Be Healthy For You
Seven Ways to Jazz Up Your Morning Eggs
Ten Tips to Save Money on Spices and Seasonings
How to Make a Perfectly Boiled Egg Every Time
How to Make Pickled Eggs

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3 comments:

Kira said...

I love frittatas for lighter meals in the summer with a green salad and some crusty bread. Delicious!

jessica said...

Thanks for reminding me about frittatas! I was just looking for a good change in meals for the coming weeks. My friend [quasi-vegetarian] likes to make a frittata and cut it into wedges and have a wedge/meal through the week as her protein source.

Daniel said...

Hi KMAYS: yep, these are great for the summer, although I think of frittatas as true year round foods.

And Jessica, you are welcome! Definitely a good source of healthy protein.

Thanks for your thoughts...

DK