Breakfast the Seventh: Frittata

      I received some high praise and warm thanks for my omelette entry a little while ago, so I decided to post about the omelette's Italian relative: the Frittata! This is a dish that eluded me for years. Frittatas are meant to be tender, tasty, and - according to my brother - fluffy concoctions. Most recipes tend to make a large circle of eggy goodness shot through with flavorful filling, served cut into wedges like a quiche. They generally start on the stove and finish in the oven, either baked or browned under a broiler.
      I tried many recipes through the years--and suffered many tough, dry messes on my plate. I knew I needed extra guidance. Since frittatas are Italian, I didn't look to Julia this time. Instead I went to my more contemporary culinary guru, Alton Brown, and discovered this recipe and accompanying knowledge. I hosted a brunch party and tried them...and they turned out perfect!
      So with a few small tweaks, I adjusted A.B.'s technique to better suit my usual breakfast requirements, and came up with a two-person frittata that uses one of my favorite egg accompaniments: tomatoes! As with quiche, a good frittata filling mustn't have too much moisture, or it dilutes the egg and takes too long to cook. Fresh tomatoes have a lot of water, so that won't work. But one of the nice things about frittata is that they're a great way to use up leftover bits of this and that (much like an omelette), so with all the weak cherry tomatoes that find their way into my kitchen in the winter, I knew just what to do: pan roast them.
      Roasting tomatoes caramelizes their natural sugars, bringing out a crazy amount of sweetness and flavor that dance tangoes on your tongue. So my recipe starts with a couple extra steps and about ten extra minutes...but if you prefer something faster, ignore the tomatoes, and just pick up where the leftover veggies go into the pan.

Z.D.'s Pan-roasted Tomato Frittata for Two

Ingredients:
1 tsp olive oil
A handful of cherry tomatoes (it's Ok if they're a little wilty)
1 tsp butter
about 1/2 Cup filling (cooked leftover veggies, diced cooked meat, or both)
2 large eggs
2 generous T grated parmesan
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions:
 - Move an oven shelf to your second-highest position, and pre-heat the broiler to high. Warm the olive oil in a small non-stick skillet (8 inch works great) over medium heat. Add the tomatoes, and shake the pan the a little to coat in the oil. Allow to cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes break down and begin to caramelize, about 10 minutes.

It looks like nothing is happening until one starts to hiss, and splatter your stovetop with tomato guts.

They WILL hiss and spit, so if you have a splatter guard, now is the time to use it! They may smoke a little, too, so monitor your heat to make sure they're roasting and not burning.

They lose a lot of volume, so don't be afraid to use more than you think you need.

 - Remove the tomatoes to a plate, and wipe out the skillet (you may need to deglaze it with a little water to get all the burnt bits up--just toss the water and wipe the skillet). Place skillet over med-high heat and melt the butter. Toss in your leftover cooked veggies, and heat through, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes.

I used leftover asparagus and roasted red pepper. Since the tomatoes will go in, too, I didn't need a ton--the total veg should just make a thick netting over the bottom of the pan.

 - Meanwhile, in a small bowl, beat together the eggs, parmesan, a pinch of the kosher salt and a few fine grinds of pepper.

I go easy on the salt because the cheese is salty enough for me, but follow your taste buds!

 - Once your veggies are heated through, up the heat to high and pour in your egg mixture. The eggs should sizzle and cook immediately.

Do NOT use a metal tool on a non-stick surface! This fork was only used to egg beating!

 - Just as with an omelette, shake the pan to prevent sticking and distribute the liquid evenly. Use a heat-proof rubber spatula to lift the edges and tilt the pan, so extra liquid can run underneath--but do NOT let your frittata cook on the stove more than a couple minutes! Over high heat, it should be almost set in 2-3 minutes max.

This one just just 20 seconds shy of going under the broiler.

 - Remove almost-set frittata to the oven and place under the broiler. Let the broiler brown and puff your frittata, 1-2 minutes, then remove promptly.

Such a great way to trick yourself into eating vegetables at breakfast!

      Slide off your plate, cut in half or in wedges, and serve hot. Slices can be made into nice breakfast sandwiches, also--or rolled up with a piece of ham for a gluten-free, high-protein finger food. We ate ours with leftovers from our brunch party:

Part of this complete(ly made up of leftovers) breakfast!

My husband couldn't wait for me to take the picture, and starting eating his frittata early. I guess that's a compliment?

      TROUBLE SHOOTING: Frittata too tough? You cooked it too long--up the heat, decrease your cook time! Eggs cooking unevenly? Perchance you did not heat your filling enough, if it's cold it will keep the surrounding egg from absorbing heat as fast. Or, you may be making the frittata too thick. Choose a larger skillet, or try one less egg--you only want a shallow pool of eggy goodness.