A: With eggs, cheese, and potato of course!
This summer my husband and I joined a CSA for the first time. CSA stands for "Community Supported Agriculture" and is basically a chance to purchase a basket of produce each week from a local farmer. You can read more about our experience here, but for the most part, it's been great--and it lasts until early November so we still have several months to go! I love that my CSA basket has items that I would never purchase on my own... but sometimes it does create challenges, like when you have an eggplant-hating husband and you receive a pint full of those purple vegetables.
Enter the frittata, also known in my kitchen as a "miracle vegetable hider" or just plain "delicious." A frittata is a crustless quiche, prepared mostly on the stove but thrown in the oven for a delicious finishing touch. Frittatas sound complex, but are really simple to prepare and make a great, filling dinner on a busy night or an impressive looking meal for company.
Over the past few months, we've had the opportunity to make many combinations of frittatas with different vegetables and herbs. It's amazing what egg and cheese can do! This is my latest version--sweet, chewy eggplant combined with familiar, comforting potatoes was a winner in our book, and I hope you enjoy it too!
Eggplant Potato Frittata for Two (or a Crowd) [adapted from In Praise of Leftovers and The Pajama Chef]
Ingredients:
- olive oil
- 3/4 cup potato, cut into very thin rounds
- 3 small eggplants, chopped [about 3/4 cup]
- 4 eggs
- 1 tablespoon water
- 3 tablespoons fresh herbs, chopped [I used basil] or 1 tablespoon dried herbs
- salt and pepper
- 1/2 cup shredded cheese [I used mozzarella]
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Heat a small, ovenproof, non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add a little oil [once around the pan], then add potato and eggplant. Cook 4-5 minutes or until soft, stirring frequently.
Meanwhile, beat eggs, water, and herbs together in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
After vegetables are soft, pour in egg mixture and use a spatula to evenly distribute vegetables. Allow to cook for a couple minutes, until the bottom of the frittata starts to set, then use a thin spatula to lift the edge of the frittata. This allows the uncooked egg to transfer below to cook. When eggs are almost set, top with cheese and place in the oven to cook for 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Cool briefly before cutting, then serve warm.
Note: Recipe can be easily doubled, tripled, etc. as needed, but leftovers aren't the best so just make what will be consumed in one meal if possible.
Yield: 2 servings
Time: 30 minutes
Sarah began blogging at The Pajama Chef in order to chronicle her adventures in and love of cooking and baking. Sarah is currently a graduate student at Indiana University working towards a Master of Library Science and a Master of Arts in African Studies. Sarah's efforts in the kitchen would not be possible without the assistance of her husband, Ben, and his stellar dish-washing and sous-chef skills. Sarah and Ben were married in May 2009 and enjoy running, reading, involvement in a local church, and spoiling their kitty, Sheba.
Looks delicious! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteHave you tried making these frittatas substituting eggs whites for just some (not all) of the eggs? Has that worked well for you?
I actually haven't tried that for a frittata, Caroline, but I bet you could do that. Here's a chart with egg volume measurements: http://whatscookingamerica.net/Eggs/EggEquivalent.htm I use large eggs.
ReplyDeleteI've always maintained that when people say they don't like vegetables, it really means they haven't had them prepared in a way that they like them. This is proof!
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