Frittata is a wing-it, seasonal dish that can help you use up all sorts of things in your refrigerator. The one in the photo contained torn Lion’s Mane mushrooms from SporeAttic, which I sautéed in a little butter with garlic scapes, kale, a half cup-ish leftover cooked quinoa, and a little chunk of Parmesan. For the kale, I did as Jamie Oliver, as if you’re preparing kale chips (remove stem, tear into pieces, and coat with olive oil), then tuck pinches into the eggs so partially submerged; the exposed part will crisp and the tucked in part will be soft. (In the same YouTube I watched him stir together cottage cheese (ricotta would be great too) with chopped spring onions (or chives or scapes) then dollop big spoonfuls into the eggs once in the pan—sounds like a great idea, but I haven’t tried it yet.) There are so many options! Stick with the ratio of eggs to milk, serve it with a green salad, and you’re all set.
Frittata
serves 4–6
Ingredients
Basic recipe:
- 1 bunch kale, lacinato or green curly, stems removed and leaves torn or Swiss chard or spinach
- 4 ounces Parmesan or pecorino romano, shredded
- 8 eggs large
- 1 cup whole milk or cream or half-and-half thinned with buttermilk
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
Add-in ideas, optional:
- mushrooms (cook per instructions below with a tablespoon of butter or olive oil and fresh thyme leaves to finish)
- summer squash (cut into dice or rings and sauté until beginning to brown in a tablespoon of butter or olive oil)
- garlic scapes, chopped and sautéed solo or with either mushrooms or summer squash
- cottage cheese, ricotta, or goat cheese with chopped spring onions or chives
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 400° F.
If using mushrooms, cook them in a dry cast iron pan (10–12-inches in diameter) until they have released their moisture and begin to brown. Add a tablespoon of butter or olive oil, and some leaves of fresh thyme to finish. Allow to cool.
If using summer squash, cook in a cast iron pan (10–12-inches) with a little olive oil or butter until they begin to brown. Add some thyme or oregano to finish. Allow to cool while you proceed with recipe.
If using garlic scapes, or anything else tasty, cook them as above.
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In a bowl, drizzle the kale with olive oil and massage with your fingers to coat each piece well. If using chard or spinach, skip this step.
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Crack the eggs into a bowl, add a couple pinches of salt and a few grinds of freshly ground black pepper, and whisk with the milk. Add the Parmesan or Pecorino Romano. (If using chard or spinach instead of kale, add it now.) Pour over the mushrooms or vegetables in the pan. Tuck pinches of oiled kale into the eggs. Optionally dollop with soft cheese like goat, cottage cheese, or ricotta. Bake for 30 minutes until puffed and golden.
