Frittata with Herbs and Greens

What is it about chickens anyway?  I mean, they’re fascinating, entertaining, baffling creatures.  They can be cunning and ruthless (like here); agreeable (like here); or sweet and adorable (like here), and some days I’d say they’re about as dumb as a bag of hammers, but I do love ‘em. 

I have six right now, and that means I get 5-6 eggs a day, so it was only a matter of time before I started talking about frittatas, right? 

Besides, it’s Meatless Monday and there is nothing like a frittata made from really fresh, organic eggs.

You don’t really need a recipe to make a frittata, but I was inspired to make this one by a recipe posted by my good friends at the Culinary School of the Rockies.  It just sounded so good being loaded with braising greens and herbs and such.  But what made this one different is how thin it is.  Most frittatas that I’ve made in the past came out fairly thick – at least an inch or two.  Not this one, no sir…barely ½ inch at its thickest, sort of like a pizza frittata, and that’s the way I want mine from now on.  The bottom developed just a hint of a crust, and cooking it quickly kept the inside moist and perfect.

I had some kale and mushrooms in the fridge, so I sautéed them up with green onions and a little garlic in my cast iron skillet, poured in the eggs (which were mixed with the herbs and a little parmesan cheese) and let it cook just until it started setting around the edges. 

Then I topped it with a little more cheese and threw it under the broiler for about 3 minutes, and the whole thing was done in less than 10.  It slid right out of the pan and we had ourselves one delicious pizza frittata.  It really doesn’t need anything else, but you could add a little salsa or marinara sauce on the side if you like.

If you don’t have your own chickens (and you really should), you already know that you can get great organic free range eggs in most stores now.  And yes, they do cost more, sometimes significantly so.  But, the payoff is huge in terms of flavor and nutrients.  So go ahead, pay a little more, your frittata will thank you. Here's the recipe...

Frittata with Herbs and Greens

Click here for a printable recipe

Recipe from the Culinary School of the Rockies

Serves 6

6 large eggs

1 Tbsp chopped herbs (basil, parsley, thyme)

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

¼ cup grated parmesan cheese

1 Tbsp olive oil

2 -3 green onions

1 clove of garlic, minced

2 cups of braising greens

1/4 cup crumbled/shredded cheese, if desired (feta, cheddar, jack, etc.)

Preheat broiler. Whisk together eggs, herbs, parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper in a bowl.

In a 12-inch ovenproof nonstick or cast iron skillet over moderate heat, sauté onion in olive oil for 1-2 minutes, then add garlic and cook 1 minute, stirring occasionally.  Wilt greens at the end of cooking for about 15 – 20 seconds.

Pour egg mixture into skillet with vegetables and cook, lifting up cooked egg around edge using a spatula to let as much raw egg as possible flow underneath, until edge is set, about 2-4 minutes (top and center will still be very loose).

Top with cheese, if desired. Place frittata in oven and broil about 6 inches from heat until set, slightly puffed, and golden (about 2 –3 min).