Frittata Template Recipes

FRITTATA TEMPLATE

Steps:

• Beat the eggs in a large bowl. Stir in the salt, pepper, milk, and the filling.
• Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a heavy nonstick skillet. Use an 8-inch skillet for 2 eggs, a 10-inch skillet for 4 to 8 eggs, and a 12-inch skillet for 10 eggs. Hold your hand above it; it should feel hot. Drop a bit of egg into the pan and if it sizzles and cooks at once, the pan is ready. Pour in the egg mixture. Swirl the pan to distribute the eggs and filling evenly over the surface. Shake the pan gently, tilting it slightly with one hand while lifting up the edges of the frittata with the spatula in your other hand, to let the eggs run underneath during the first few minutes of cooking. A 2-egg omelet will be done quickly, with just the tilting of the pan and letting the eggs run underneath until it is no longer or only slightly moist on the top. Once it is set, slip it out of the pan onto a plate. It's fine to leave the top a little runny (that's the way they like them in France.)
• A larger frittata, one cooked in a 10- or 12-inch pan, must be covered and cooked over low heat. Turn the heat down to low, cover (use a pizza pan if you don't have a lid that will fit your skillet), and cook 5 to 10 minutes, depending on the number of eggs, shaking the pan gently every once in a while. From time to time remove the lid and loosen the bottom of the frittata with a wooden spatula, tilting the pan, so that the bottom doesn't burn. It will however turn a deep golden brown. The eggs should be just about set; cook a few minutes longer if they're not.
• A large frittata usually requires finishing underneath the broiler. Heat the broiler. Place the pan under the broiler, not too close to the heat, for 1 to 3 minutes, watching very carefully to make sure the top doesn't burn (at most, it should brown very slightly, and it will puff under the broiler). Remove from the heat, shake the pan to make sure the frittata isn't sticking, and allow it to cool for at least 5 minutes and for up to 15. Loosen the edges with a wooden or plastic spatula. Carefully slide from the pan onto a large round platter. Cut into wedges or into smaller bite-size diamonds. Serve hot, warm, at room temperature, or cold.

HOW TO MAKE FRITTATAS (STOVETOP OR BAKED)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit for the traditional stovetop method, or 350 degrees for the baked methods (casserole or mini/muffins).
• Crack the eggs into a medium mixing bowl. Add your dairy of choice and the salt. Whisk just until the egg yolks and whites are blended. Whisk in all or half of the cheese (you can reserve the other half for topping the frittata before baking, if desired). Set the mixture aside.
• In a 12-inch cast iron skillet (or any other large skillet that's oven safe), warm the olive oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add the vegetables, starting with chopped onions or other dense vegetables. Cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, then add any softer vegetables such as zucchini. Cook until those vegetables are tender, then add any garlic or greens, and cook until fragrant or wilted. Season with salt, to taste.
• Whisk the eggs once more and pour the mixture over the vegetables. Stir with a spatula briefly to combine and distribute the mixture evenly across the pan. If you reserved any cheese, sprinkle it on top of the frittata now.
• Once the outside edge of the frittata turns lighter in color (about 30 seconds to 1 minute), carefully transfer the frittata to the oven. Bake for 7 to 14 minutes (keep an eye on it), until the eggs are puffed and appear cooked, and the center of the frittata jiggles just a bit when you give it a gentle shimmy. Remove the frittata from the oven and place it on a cooling rack to cool. Garnish with herbs, slice with a sharp knife, and serve.
• Let the cooked vegetables cool for a few minutes. In the meantime, grease a 9 by 13-inch pan with butter, which works better than cooking spray. Stir the lightly cooled veggies into the egg mixture, then pour it all into the pan. If you reserved any cheese, sprinkle it on top of the frittata now.
• Bake for 20 to 25 minutes (keep an eye on it), until the eggs are puffed and appear cooked, and the center of the frittata jiggles just a bit when you give it a gentle shimmy. Remove the frittata from the oven and place it on a cooling rack to cool. Garnish with herbs, slice with a sharp knife, and serve.
• Let the cooked vegetables cool for a few minutes, then stir them into the egg mixture. Grease 18 muffin cups (I used two muffin pans for this), then fill the cups evenly with a scant 1/3 cup of the mixture. If you reserved any cheese, sprinkle it on top of the frittatas now.
• Bake for 13 to 17 minutes, until the eggs are puffed and appear cooked, and the center of the frittatas jiggle just a bit when you give the pan a gentle shimmy (this happens quickly so keep an eye on them; my pan with only 6 muffins finished sooner). Remove the pans from the oven and place them on a cooling rack to cool. Garnish with herbs, and serve.