Frittata: the Italian Shmoo

Frittata of artichokes

I should have used a different colored plate. It wouldn’t make a huge difference, but could make my frittata a tad more attractive without adding something that changes the taste. That’s the only fault that frittata has: it looks like ‘not much’ to ‘nothing’. In reality, frittata is an important dish that allows you to always have dinner, lunch, an antipasto or an elaborate side dish as long as you have eggs. That’s why it is the Italian Shmoo.

It’s related to the omelet, but it isn’t an omelet. The aim with an omelet is airiness, lightness, with the eggs not really cooked through as they come from the heat. The frittata is more substantial, cooked right through and even flipped over or run under the broiler/grill to make sure it’s done. It is served warm or cold.

It’s related to the Spanish frittata, but it isn’t the same. The Spanish frittata has more regulation of ingredients and usually is served with a sauce. Actually, I am no expert and you should go to a blog where they cook Spanish food.

Frittata is flexible to an extreme. Italian cooks will tell you that pasta frittata is served only to children, but I know better. All kinds of vegetables get enshrined and honored in frittata. Occasionaly an Italian cook will toss a little meat into a frittata meant to be a main dish. In the south of Italy frittate get made with various mullusks and fish. I’ve seen rice in one that might have started as risotto, or maybe not. While I’ve never seen a frittata with bits and pieces of everything left over in the fridge, I suspect they get made towards the end of the month when money gets short. You can use any number of cheese in, on or around a frittata, too.

I don’t actually use a recipe anymore. Most cooks wouldn’t, but then you have to have made a successful frittata to be able to toss one together, no? While there is a rule of thumb for a standard vegetable frittata, if you were making one with a vastly different theme, you might need to completely change the egg potion. The only way to know how to do that is to make fritatta and get used to it so that the idea of one brings its own inspiration. Then you, too, will have your own Shmoo.

Baseline Frittata Mixture

serves 4 as a side dish, 2 as a main dish

4 fresh eggs
2 good splashes of milk or 2 tablespoons of milk
100 grams/3.5 ounces grated Parmigiano or other hard cheese
splash of Tabasco or pinch of cayenne chili pepper
Extra virgin olive oil

Beat the eggs with the milk and then beat in the Tabasco/chili and the cheese.

Heat a wide and shallow frying pan until a drop of water dances over the surface. Add olive oil, at least a couple of tablespoons of it, enough at least so that by tipping and turning the pan you can spread the oil around. Put in whatever you are having in your frittata and sautè it until it is thoroughly warmed through. Pour the egg mixture over all, tipping to distribute it. As it cooks, use a spatula to lift the edges and allow uncooked egg to flow underneath. When the egg is no longer liquid, you may run the entire thing under a preheated broiler/grill or you may slide it onto a plate or lid, then flip it over into the frying pan once more and finish cooking it that way. I have an enormous aluminum flattish lid that I often use, but the one you see above was cooked under the broiler. I also have a frittata pan that is used only for eggs and never washed with soap, but that is not necessary. The important thing is haveing a pan shallow enough that you won’t have trouble getting the frittata turned over or slid onto a plate.

Since I am not Italian born, but just adopted, I always think my frittata isn’t pretty enough. I’m tempted to sprinkle minced herbs over it, but that changes the taste,. Or what about a sauce? That would alter the taste even more. I grated a bit of cheese over this one and it didn”t help much. At Tina’s house last Saturday, we were served several asparagus frittatas, and they were delicious, and didn’t look one bit prettier than this one.

One thing you can do is arrange the things you are cooking in yours so that they make a pretty pattern, but I can’t guarantee that will work seamlessly. They sometimes shift when running the raw egg under the edges. Another thing I’ve tried is sautèing extra of the vegetable, taking it out when cooked and then using it to garnish the frittata when it’s cooked. That works if you can remember to do it.

Frittata makes an ideal first couse in spring when there are so many vegetable worth featuring, and it has the advantage of being low carbohydrate and usually vegetarian. It makes a great main dish for a garden meal, since it doesn’t need to be served hot.

The next time you feel like asking someone over for a quick meal but you haven’t thawed any meat, think eggs and frittata. There’s always a nice meal in your refrigerator if you know the Italian Shmoo.