Sunday Brunch: A Basic Frittata
In writing and researching Sunday Brunch all these weeks I have come across a zillion frittata recipes. Somehow, in my inimitable wisdom, I have neglected to share a basic frittata recipe. I am going to make amends this morning with a recipe I've adapted from perhaps my favorite brunch cook, Marc Meyer, chef-owner of Five Points, Cookshop, and A Hundred Acres in New York City. Meyer, along with former New York Times "$25 and Under" reviewer Peter Meehan, wrote my favorite brunch cookbook called, simply enough, Brunch.
The Frittata Master Recipe
- serves 2 -
Ingredients
3 large eggs
Salt and freshly ground pepper
3 teaspoons olive oil
Procedure
1. Preheat the broiler and set your broiler pan (or the shelf in an electric oven) about 3 or 4 inches away from the broiling element.
2. Beat the eggs with salt and pepper to taste. Heat the oil in a 7-inch overproof skillet over high heat and, when it slides immediately from side to side, add the eggs. Immediately turn the heat down to low. (If you're using an electric stove, you may want to start the frittata on one burner set to high and transfer the skillet to another burner turned on to low.) Let the eggs cook undisturbed until set on the bottom, then use a heatproof spatula or wooden spoon to pull the eggs away from the rim of the pan and let the loose eggs run underneath.
3. Sprinkle or arrange your favorite topping(s) (I like lightly cooked bacon and cheddar) over the frittata, and flash the frittata under the broiler to set its surface-a minute at most.
4. Serve hot or warm with toasted bialys, toasted slices of rustic Italian bread or heated baguette.
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5 Comments:
Oh, yeah. Potato and onion. Shrimp. Leftover pasta! THat's a delightful book, and fritattas are one of my favorite ways to start a brunch menu
lemons at 1:42PM on 07/13/08
Somehow, in these days of rising natural gas prices, it would seem more frugal to go the omelet route than to run two burners and heat up and oven/broiler.
fpatrick at 5:11PM on 07/13/08
Honestly, is there going to be a post in which someone doesn't have a problem with the nutritional content of, cost of, amount of or some other thing about the food?
ccbweb at 7:19PM on 07/13/08
That's radically different from the way that all and I do mean ALL - of the diners in my area have always made them. We typically see chunks of cooked potato - about home fries size -, broccoli, green and/or red peppers strips, broccoli, and either pepperoni or Italian sausage. And the ingredients are just "sprinkled on top". Once the eggs are partially cooked the ingredients are stirred in and the entire mess (indeed it is a mess) is cooked to completion in a pile on a flat cooktop. As a general rule a single frittata (around here also called a frettata or just "fretta") is enough to feed two hungry people. And at about $6 it's the best breakfast value in town.
phaelon56 at 9:34AM on 07/14/08
You should share this recipe with the current Sunday chef at 100 Acres in SoHo (formerly Provence). Their idea of a frittata is a single egg cooked on the range in a non-stick pan to the consistency and thinness of a crepe, topped with cold feta and barely sauteed vegetables. Just one element of a most disappointing brunch this past Sunday. Frankly, the donuts were the best part of the meal.
Amy
siegela at 6:56PM on 08/25/08