"FRITTATA" MEANS "omelette" in Italian, and indeed, either makes a good, quick one-dish meal any time of day. Both dishes start with eggs and seasonings, and both are highly versatile, accommodating a variety of other ingredients from whatever's handy in the refrigerator, freezer or pantry.
But there are some important differences. Whereas a French omelette is thin and
delicate enough to wrap around a filling, an Italian frittata is thick, like a crustless quiche, an open-faced fusion of sautéed vegetables, herbs, cheese or other savoury bits bound together with eggs. Unlike an omelette, which cooks over relatively high heat in under a minute and is served hot from the pan, a frittata demands slow,
gentle heat and is cut in wedges for serving hot, warm or cold.
Finally, a frittata is typically browned on both sides, a feat that takes a little culinary sleight-of-hand to avoid ending up with something resembling scrambled eggs. Cook the frittata mixture until the eggs are barely set around the edges of the pan but are moist and creamy on top. Then invert a large flat plate (a little larger than the frying pan) over the pan. Wearing oven mitts and using both hands to clamp the pan and plate together, tip them over in a smooth motion so that the frittata drops onto the plate. Set the plate on the countertop and add a tablespoon of butter to the hot pan. Swirl the butter to coat the pan and slide the frittata, cooked side up, off the plate and back into the pan. Cook it until the bottom is nicely browned.
SUCCESS TIP:
To quickly brown the second side of a frittata without inverting it in the pan, put it under a broiler set on low until the top is firm and lightly browned. Watch carefully to avoid overcooking.
Classic Western Fry
6 slices bacon, cut in halves
1/4 cup butter
1 jar (10 ozs.) small oysters
6 eggs
Flour
1/3 cup fine dry bread crumbs
1 tbsp. water
1/2 tsp. salt
Pinch white pepper
1 tbsp. finely chopped parsley
METHOD
1. In a 10-inch non-stick frying pan, cook bacon until crisp and brown; remove bacon, drain, and keep warm. Discard bacon drippings; wipe pan clean with paper towel. To pan add 3 tablespoons of the butter, swirling until melted.
2. Drain oysters; pat dry. Beat 1 of the eggs in a medium bowl. Coat oysters first with flour, then with egg, and finally with bread crumbs. Add oysters to melted butter in pan; cook over medium-low heat until brown on first side. Use a spatula to turn oysters; brown second side.
3. While oysters brown, combine the beaten egg in which oysters were dipped with the remaining 5 eggs, water, salt and white pepper. Beat to combine. When oysters are browned on both sides, leave them in the pan; sprinkle them with parsley. Pour
beaten eggs over oysters.
4. Cook as for a frittata, lifting and tipping pan as eggs begin to set. When eggs are nearly set, cover pan with large plate and invert egg mixture onto it, and add remaining butter to pan. When butter is melted, return egg mixture to pan and cook until bottom is lightly browned (2 to 3 minutes).
5. Cut in wedges and serve from pan, or turn out onto a warm serving plate and cut in wedges. Garnish with crisp bacon.
Serves 4.
Tomato Frittata
A basil-scented tomato sauce enlivens this classic frittata
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 tbsps. olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 can (1 lb.) crushed tomatoes or 3 fresh
medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded and
coarsely chopped
1 tbsp. finely chopped fresh basil
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
6 eggs
1 tbsp. finely chopped parsley
3 tbsps. butter
METHOD
1. Sauté onion in oil in medium frying pan until soft but not brown. Add garlic, tomatoes and their liquid, basil, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until mixture is thickened and reduced to about 1 1/3 cups (about 10 minutes). Cool to room temperature.
2. Beat eggs in large bowl; mix in tomato sauce and parsley. Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in 9-inch omelette pan over medium-low heat. Pour egg mixture into pan and cook, without stirring, until outer edge is set. With a wide spatula, lift some of the egg mixture from sides of pan, all the way around, tipping pan to let uncooked egg flow to pan bottom. Continue cooking until eggs are almost set.
3. Invert large flat plate over frying pan, turning frittata onto plate. Melt remaining butter in pan, then return frittata to frying pan. Cook 2 to 3 minutes more to brown bottom lightly. Turn frittata onto serving plate. Cut in wedges.
Serves 4.
