Learning to make a frittata is a valuable culinary lifeskill. Commonly referred to as the Italian version of an omelette, a frittata is a concoction of whisked eggs and cream, sliced, diced or chopped previously-cooked vegetables, meat or seafood and/or grated cheese. I prefer to compare it to a custard-like quiche without a crust rather than an omelette because, like a quiche, a frittata is traditionally round and rather thick -- not at all elongated and comparatively flat (like the French and American omelettes). There's more. I think of an omelette as something that goes from stovetop to table in a few short moments -- something that will get you fed in a hurry with no stress and little mess. That's not the case with frittata, which takes 30+ minutes.
With a formula, a frittata can be made for two, a few or a crew.
The Italian word frittata derives from the word friggere, which roughly means "fried. This is why frittata is traditionally associated with a skillet, namely a cast-iron skillet. If a casserole dish is more convenient, by all means use one -- simply season and sauté your fillings ingredients in a skillet, and toss them into the bottom of a casserole that has been sprayed with no-stick spray, add the whisked egg and cream mixture and bake as directed. To make three sizes of frittata in either an oven-safe, deep-sized cast-iron skillet or in a casserole, measure as follows:
10" cast-iron skillet or 3-qt. casserole = 12 ex.-large eggs, 1 cup cream, 6 cups add-ins*
8" cast-iron skillet or 2-qt. casserole = 9 ex.-large eggs, 3/4 cup cream 4 1/2 cups add-ins*
6" cast-iron skillet or 1 1/2-qt. casserole = 6 ex.-large eggs, 1/2 cup cream 3 cups add-ins*
*I don't include grated melting cheese (American, cheddar, gruyère, fontina or mozzarella) or crispy-fried bacon bits in the add-ins total because neither adds a lot of overall volume. Add 1 cup, 3/4 cup or 1/2 cup cheese, &/or, 1/2 cup, 1/4 cup or 2 tablespoons bacon bits.
A bit about add-in vegetables. Sautéed vegetables or a medley of vegetables can be added, as long as they are cooked in some manner first. Why? Vegetables, particularly those that contain lots of liquid, unless cooked first, will render the frittata watery. Root vegetables, like potatoes and carrots, won't fully-cook if not given a head start on the stovetop. Onions and/or garlic are almost always added. Other options include asparagus, broccoli, bell peppers, spinach, peas, and/or mushrooms. They all work great. Extremely watery vegetables, like tomatoes, summer squash and and zucchini work well too, but the extra step of seeding prior to sautéing is recommended.
A bit about add-in meats or seafood. When it comes to meat or seafood, the same rules apply: if it's cooked first it can be added. Leftover diced porcine, like ham or sausage crumbles, along with crispy-fried bacon bits are my three meaty favorites, and, crab meat or shrimp, or both, are divine. My kids liked frittata made with diced salami or pepperoni as a late night snack. That said, if you like to eat steak with your eggs, by all means, throw in slivers of that leftover roasted or grilled red meat. Feel free to disagree, but, for my taste, poultry has no place in a frittata -- there is just something about chicken or turkey in an egg dish that I find unappealing (save it for a sandwich).
Bake @ 325º: 6" skillet/20 min.; 8" skillet/25 min.; 10" skillet/30 min.
Add 6-8 minutes extra baking time for any frittata baked in a casserole dish. Why? A frittata started in the skillet is hot -- a frittata assembled in the casserole is not.
Tips from Mel: You can substitute half and half or whole milk, but anything less than full-fat dairy renders a rubbery rather than an unctuous frittata. The worst mistake to make is to overbake a frittata. If it's deep-golden on top, it's over-cooked in the center. It should light in color and barely set, so, be sure to check it often during the cooking process. Season your filling ingredients appropriately when sautéing them, to taste, with salt, pepper and/or herbs or spices. The same goes for the egg mixture: whisk in the salt and pepper before pouring it into the skillet or casserole. Adding cheese? Choose one with a good melting quality. Aged cheeses, like Parmesan or Pecorino, which add sharp, salty flavor, don't melt great, but work nicely grated over the top of the finished frittata. Never stir the frittata after the egg mixture has been added.
Start it on the stovetop in a oven-safe skillet & finish it in the oven, or:
assemble the ingredients in a casserole & bake it in the oven.
The egg mixture is poured into the same oven-safe skillet (usually cast-iron), the vegetables and or meats have been cooked or placed in. The Frittata is started on the stovetop for a few moments, just long enough to allow the bottom of the mixture to solidify a bit, then finished in a moderate oven for 30-45 minutes depending on its size and the recipe. That said, a frittata can be prepared in the skillet entirely on the stovetop, or, in a casserole entirely in the oven (usually to make a large-size frittata). Frittata can be served directly from the pan, but, family-friendly-sized frittata is often inverted onto a platter, to reveal its golden crust, then sliced into wedges.
Breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner or late night snack, a frittata is a relatively-easy quick-to-make, hunger-satisfying meal. It tastes great served hot, warm, at room temperature or cold, and, leftovers reheat beautifully in the microwave, which make it perfect for those who brown bag lunch. A bit of slicing, dicing or chopping is typically required, but it's minimal, and, since frittata can be a tasty way to use up yummy leftovers, there are times when no knife is necessary.
For those times when you just gotta have frittata, try my recipe for: Italian Sausage, Bell Peppers 'n Onions Frittata:
"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti
(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2022)
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