How to Make A Great Frittata
Servings 4 people
Equipment
- 1 10 inch skillet
Ingredients
- 8 large eggs
- 1/4 cup whole milk or cream (60 ml
- 1/2 cups grated cheese (100 g) old cheddar, Gruyère, or Parmesan
- 1 medium onion thinly sliced or diced
- 1 cups cooked add-ins see notes
- 2 tbsp. butter
- 0.5 tsp. salt
- 0.3 tsp. black pepper
- 2 tbsp. chopped fresh chives or parsley
Instructions
- Heat the oven and prep add-ins: Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C) with the rack in the middle. Have 1 cups cooked add-ins (see notes) cooked, cooled, and cut into pieces about 1 cm (half inch). Drain or squeeze out any liquid.
- Soften the onion: Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a 25 cm (10 inch) oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Add 1 medium onion, thinly sliced and cook until soft and golden at the edges. Cast iron or heavy nonstick both work.
- Whisk the eggs:While the onion cooks, whisk 8 large eggs with 60 milliliters whole milk or cream, 0.5 teaspoons salt, 0.3 teaspoons black pepper, and about two thirds of 100 grams grated cheese (old cheddar, Gruyère, or Parmesan). Whisk until the yolks and whites are fully combined and slightly frothy.
- Add the add-ins: Scatter 1 cup cooked add-ins (see notes) evenly over the onions in the pan and spread them into a single layer. Do not stir them into the eggs. Layering them in the pan keeps them from sinking to the bottom.
- Set the base: Pour the egg mixture over everything and give the pan a gentle shake to settle it. Let it sit undisturbed until the edges look set but the centre is still loose. 3 to 4 minutes.
- Bake: Scatter the remaining 100 grams grated cheese (old cheddar, Gruyère, or Parmesan) over the top and move the pan to the oven. Bake 10 -12 minutes until the centre is just set and barely jiggles when you nudge the pan. Do not wait for it to puff and brown or it will be dry.
- Rest and serve: Let it rest in the pan. Loosen the edge with a spatula, slide it onto a board, and top with 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives or parsley. Cut into wedges.
Notes
THE ADD-IN RULE: 250 ml (1 cup) total for 8 eggs, measured after cooking. More than that and the frittata will not hold together when you slice it. Half a cup is safer if you are using something heavy like potato.
Everything goes in cooked. Raw vegetables release water into the eggs and you get a soggy, weeping frittata.
Good choices, all measured cooked and cooled:
- Sautéed mushrooms, squeezed of liquid
- Roasted red pepper, chopped
- Diced cooked potato
- Spinach or chard, wilted and wrung out in a tea towel
- Blanched asparagus or broccoli, cut small
- Crumbled bacon, sausage, or diced ham
- Roasted cherry tomatoes Cut everything to about 1 cm (half inch). Big pieces create weak spots where the slice breaks. Watery vegetables are the usual failure. Zucchini and fresh tomato need to be salted, drained, and cooked down first, or left out. The base ratio: 2 eggs per person, 15 ml (1 tbsp) milk per 2 eggs, 250 ml (1 cup) add-ins per 8 eggs. Keeps three days covered in the fridge. Good cold, better at room temperature.
- Sautéed mushrooms, squeezed of liquid
- Roasted red pepper, chopped
- Diced cooked potato
- Spinach or chard, wilted and wrung out in a tea towel
- Blanched asparagus or broccoli, cut small
- Crumbled bacon, sausage, or diced ham
- Roasted cherry tomatoes Cut everything to about 1 cm (half inch). Big pieces create weak spots where the slice breaks. Watery vegetables are the usual failure. Zucchini and fresh tomato need to be salted, drained, and cooked down first, or left out. The base ratio: 2 eggs per person, 15 ml (1 tbsp) milk per 2 eggs, 250 ml (1 cup) add-ins per 8 eggs. Keeps three days covered in the fridge. Good cold, better at room temperature.