HERB AND OLIVE FRITTATA

While Seasonal Breakfast Soup is our much loved weekday breakfast, weekends call for something a bit special. Frittata is a family favorite. It’s wonderfully flexible as far as what ingredients are featured, it packs in a plethora of veg, and can be little or big depending on how hungry breakfasters are.

As a general rule, I add 2 eggs per adult, 1 egg per kid. My first step is to peruse my fridge, see what I have, and decide on what the theme for this morning’s Frittata will be. This Frittata was inspired by all the beautiful fresh herbs I found at the market, and Kalamata olives I had left over from another recipe. I thought a bit of sheep milk Manchego would be a treat, and fresh spinach would add a good dose of veg.

I always start with a base of sauteéd onions and garlic, (maybe some mushrooms if I have them on hand). Next I add in the sturdier vegetables (in this case, the green parts of green onions), followed by the more delicate veg (in this case spinach, but kale, chard, collards, dandelion, would all be delicious) and finally, I add in the egg mixture. This time I added the fresh herbs and the grated cheese to my beaten eggs.

RECIPE: serves 4

8 Eggs

1 cup Fresh Herbs (Italian Parsley, Basil, Tarragon, dill)

1/2 cup chopped Green Onions

1/2 cup diced Onion

2 cloves Garlic

1/2 cup chopped Kalamata Olives

4 cups fresh Spinach leaves

1/4 cup grated Cheese (Sheep’s milk Manchego)

Salt & Pepper to taste (I start with 1/2 tsp of each)

2 Tblsp Olive Oil*

Preheat your oven to º375. Dice your Onion, mince your Garlic, chop your Herbs and Green Onion. Grate your Cheese. Crack your Eggs into a bowl, beat well. Now add your chopped Herbs, the white parts of your Green Onion, Cheese, Salt & Pepper. Set your egg mixture aside while you get your skillet going. My favorite is to use my well-seasoned cast iron skillet, but any oven safe skillet will work.

Heat your skillet over medium-high heat for a minute or 2. Lower the heat to medium (your skillet should be hot, but not smoking). Drizzle in your Olive Oil followed quickly by your Onion. Let your Onion cook for a couple minutes till it starts to get translucent. Next add in your Garlic, and the green parts of your Green Onion. Give this 3 – 4 minutes to cook, then add your Spinach. Sauteé until your Spinach is cooked down, about 5 minutes. Now add your egg mixture. Since your pan is hot, your Egg mix should start to solidify at the edges of your skillet, but still be liquid in the middle. Carefully transfer your skillet from stove top to oven. Bake at º375 for 20 minutes. Enjoy!

*Know your pan. If your skillet is well seasoned, and you feel confident you won’t have sticking problems you can use less oil, but I would say that it is better to be safe and add extra oil. I will even add extra oil before I add in my egg mix if I feel like my sauteéd veg is stickier than I’d like.

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