I really enjoy omelets for breakfast and every now and then I love a frittata for dinner. I found this recipe in the NY Times and just happened to have a small container of sweet peppers from the farmer’s market that I needed to use. I loved all of the vegetables in this frittata. I also loved the fact that the dinner came together very quickly. The most time consuming part is chopping and sauteing the vegetables.

I didn’t have a non-stick pan so I used a regular frying pan.   My frittata didn’t slide around as it might have in a non-stick pan, but I didn’t have any trouble getting it out of the pan when it was time to serve it.   The original recipe called for thawing the peas.   I tossed mine into the egg mixture frozen and they turned out perfectly between being on the stove fore a few minutes, and then under the broiler.

I have to say that although this was delicious on its own, it was incredibly good with a little ketchup on it.   I have always been a fan of ketchup on eggs though.

Frittata with Red Peppers and Peas
Recipe from Martha Rose Shulman, as seen in the NY Times

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 bunches scallions, trimmed and cut in thin slices
1 large red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 to 2 plump garlic cloves (to taste), minced
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup frozen peas
10 large or extra-large eggs
3 tablespoons low-fat milk
2 tablespoons minced flat-leaf parsley

Heat one tablespoon of the olive oil in a 12-inch nonstick frying pan over medium heat and add the scallions and red pepper. Cook, stirring often, until the scallions are tender and the red pepper begins to soften. Add the garlic, salt (about 1/2 teaspoon), and a few twists of the pepper mill, and continue to cook until the red peppers are tender, another 3 to 5 minutes. Stir often. Remove from the heat and scrape into a bowl. Rinse and dry the pan.

Beat the eggs in a large bowl. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt, some freshly ground pepper, the milk, peas, parsley, and the cooked scallions and red pepper.

Heat the remaining olive oil over medium-high heat in the 12-inch nonstick skillet. 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.

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 10 minutes. From time to time remove the lid and loosen the bottom of the frittata with a 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. Meanwhile, light the broiler.

Finish the frittata under the broiler 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 spatula. Carefully slide the frittata from the pan onto a large round platter. Cut into wedges or into smaller bite-size diamonds. Serve warm, at room temperature, or cold.

Yield: 6 servings (or more as an appetizer)

One year ago: Cottage Cheese Pancakes
Two years ago: French Gougères