We are big breakfast fans in our household. Particularly my husband and I—though we have somewhat successfully sucked our daughter into our weekend tradition of big breakfasts. Saturdays we treat ourselves to a local favorite like Le Peep, Walker Brothers, or our new top-pick Dixie Kitchen (down-and-out phenomenal).
But Sundays are eat-at-home mornings, and this recipe came about in an attempt to use up some eggs, incorporate ingredients we know the bunny likes in the hopes she might try something new, and because we'd just seem Alton Brown do a show on proper omelet making. Either he mentioned varying the technique for frittatas or I just made that up, but the episode inspired me to try one, nonetheless.
While I followed some of his techniques for preparation, I tend to like my eggs a bit more cooked than he recommends... so I advocate for a longer cooking time both in the pan and when finishing in the oven. You may alter as you see fit, however, based on your egg idiosyncrasies!
Although the frittata as a whole was not a big hit with the bunny, she did try it (always a coup in our house). She enjoyed the goat cheese the best, and she was also open to eating the eggs that were not too heavily laden with veg (though we're working on that!).
Baby Bella Mushroom Frittata with Cherry Tomatoes, Spinach and Goat Cheese
Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil
8 oz baby bella mushrooms
1 c cherry tomatoes (diced)
2 handfuls spinach
2 tbsp goat cheese
6 eggs
1 tbsp milk (any kind)
1 tbsp butter
2 tsp rosemary
salt and pepper to taste
Directions
1. The first step is to sauté all your veg. I like to start with the mushrooms, because they take longest, and then add in the tomatoes and finally the spinach. Olive oil is a great base to get it all going, and you can be sparing (you may need even less than 1 tbsp) because the mushrooms and tomatoes create their own juices.
2. I prefer to season everything at this step. I think the flavors blend more nicely as the veg cooks, and it's easier to make sure the flavors are balanced and what I want too. I tend to lean on rosemary, salt and pepper, but you can use just about anything you like here.
Fresh herbs are always lovely, but dried will do fine too. Other potential additions include sage, basil, and/or thyme. You really can't go wrong with that whole flavor palette, so play with it all and see what you prefer the most.
3. Once everything is soft, bright and lovely, transfer all your cooked veg to the dish you intend for the eventual oven stage. I like to use a glass pie dish (be sure to grease the entire thing with butter to prevent sticking later).
Spread it all out around the bottom so that, once you add your eggs later, the veg will be more evenly distributed throughout the dish.
4. Now on to the eggs! Preheat your oven to 350º. In a medium-sized bowl, crack your 6 eggs and whisk until thoroughly mixed up. Add in the milk and whatever salt and pepper you wish to include, and combine once more.
5. Place the 1 tbsp butter in a clean, large skillet (at least 10 inches) and let it melt. Test the skillet with a quick splash of water to ensure it is hot enough (a few droplets on your fingers should tell you upon contact if the oil is ready... you'll hear a sizzling, popping kind of sound).
Once you've reached the right heat, pour the eggs into the skillet and tilt the pan around slightly to ensure the egg mixture is coating the entire pan. Use a spatula to move the middle of the eggs around as they cook... really for only 5-10 seconds or so. Then let the whole thing sit, untouched, for a good 10-15 seconds.
6. Turn off the heat and transfer your entire egg mixture to your prepared pie dish. Some of the egg will be cooked and some still runny. This is fine, and as it should be. The trick here is getting it safely into the dish without ending up with a large heap of cooked egg on one side... and without pushing all your veg into one spot of your soon-t0-be frittata.
7. You can use your fingers or a fork or the spatula to push things around as needed. Before transferring to the oven, sprinkle in your goat cheese and make sure everything is under the surface of the runny eggy-ness.
8. Bake at 350º for 20-25 minutes. You'll know it's ready when it starts to brown on top. You want it to look slightly golden and no longer runny.
9. You may want to let it cool just a bit before cutting in. Leftovers can be kept in the fridge for several days and make an excellent lunch with a small side salad.
One of the best things about this dish is you can change up the ingredients you add in to your heart's content. I've had success with veggie sausage, a blend of mixed farmer's market tomatoes, zucchini, and all sorts of cheese.
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