Red pepper, potato, and prosciutto frittata topped with ricotta

It is so hard for me to find good prosciutto in India, so when I occasionally see it, I load up and freeze it. It is like gold to me.

Let's start by talking about prosciutto and comparing it to bacon. Prosciutto is from Italy, made from the hind leg of a ham, heavily salted and aged in a cold, temperature-controlled room for 9-24 months. The salt draws out the moisture and concentrates the flavour. It is never smoked. Because of the curing process, prosciutto can be eaten as is.

Bacon, on the other hand, is more global, made from pork belly in brine, or fresh, and can be smoked over hickory (usually). Bacon is always cooked.

Also, let's discuss the difference between a frittata and an omelette. An omelette, originally from France, is a dish of whisked eggs folded over fillings (if any) and cooked in a pan. It is always served hot. A frittata hails from Italy, is never folded, and the fillings (if any) are added to the raw eggs and usually finished in the oven, where it fluffs up. It can be eaten hot or cold.

This frittata uses prosciutto, the flavour permeating the dish. This is a complex frittata, with the peppers adding sweetness, the Parmesan a salty, cheesy base, and the ricotta a creamy top. They all come together beautifully in the dish; it is loaded and wonderful. The potatoes serve as a base with the eggs, holding everything together, barely. This frittata has a habit of being a bit sloppy, so I slide it off the pan and cut it at the table. I served it on buttered sourdough toast.

I must admit I love making a frittata during the summer, lighter fare that is quick to make, and the eggs keep you full. And this frittata does just that, fills you up and satisfies your soul.

This book, Six Seasons, is one of my favourites for a variety of vegetarian recipes. The chef's twists on vegetables make me want to cook every recipe in the book, and we will eventually get there. Each recipe has been fabulous, with an excellent combination of ingredients and the perfect recipes to highlight each vegetable; this is a cookbook I should be cooking from every day.

For more recipes from this cookbook, click here.

Ingredients:

3 potatoes, skin-on, boiled and sliced

1 tablespoon butter

10 slices prosciutto, finely diced

1 red bell pepper, julienned

5 scallions, finely sliced

6 eggs

1/4 Parmesan cheese, grated

1/2 teaspoon pepper

salt, to taste

1/2 cup ricotta cheese

Method:

Heat the butter in a large frying pan and add the prosciutto. Fry the prosciutto until the fat has rendered and the meaty bits are brown. Add the bell pepper and scallions, and cook over medium-low heat until the peppers are tender. Take care not to burn the scallions. I like my peppers a bit on the crunchy side, so I keep them slightly undercooked. Remove and cool completely. Separate the peppers from the rest of the mix and set aside.

Whip the eggs with pepper and salt until foamy. Add half the Parmesan and the scallion-prosciutto mix and beat into the eggs.

Heat the same frying pan, no need to wash it, and layer in the eggs. Top with the sliced potatoes evenly and top with the peppers arranged decoratively. Top with the remaining Parmesan cheese and dab with dollops of ricotta cheese.

Cook the pan on low heat until you see the sides of the eggs firm up, you should be able to gently lift the sides off the pan.

Preheat the oven to broil, with the rack 6 inches from the top. Put the frying pan into the oven and broil for 3-4 minutes until the eggs have fluffed and browned. The ricotta will have melted into a cream.

Remove once you are sure the eggs are cooked through. Cool for 2 minutes and serve in wedges.