Frittatas are the Italian answer to an Omelette or crustless quiche. However, the cooking of a frittata is unique; it is both cooked on the stove and in the oven. The second step is critical for a great frittata as broiling the eggs in the oven puffs them up and makes them soft and fluffy. Cheese is usually added for creaminess; the toppings can vary from vegetable to meat and even pasta. I love frittatas because of their elegance and multitude of flavours, and my guests are always delighted when a fresh frittata appears, usually as an appetizer.
I was honoured when Monisha and Sibi dropped in and filled my refrigerator with excellent cheese from the Moonrocket Cheese company in Calicut. They are a small biodynamic company that makes small-batch cheeses from happy, grass-fed cows that are tended for in small villages. The quality of the cheese showcases the freshness of the high-quality milk. The ricotta cheese, plain and spring onion were excellent, with creamy micro granules on the palate and perfectly balanced flavours. I will buy these cheeses regularly, both for their excellence and the ethos of the farming practices.
The brioche is from my friend at Loafer & Co., a boutique bakery that produces limited loaves of outstanding quality. The perfectly soft and buttery brioche was perfect with the light frittata. This was an excellent dish.
This frittata is delicate and lovely. The soft ricotta cheese adds a luxurious creaminess to the eggs. The flavours are simple and depend on great-quality cheese. Although I have used plain ricotta in this recipe, you can substitute a flavoured ricotta cheese, too. I am finding in India and Instagram that dishes that are meant to be delicate are overloaded with ingredients like mayo, cheese, and masala. The essence of this dish is its delicate nature and the perfect balance of ingredients to create great flavours.
This is an early tome of over 1400 vegetarian recipes from Deborah Madison. This volume was written to become the bible of vegetarian cooking. After many years as a teacher and writer, she realized there was no comprehensive primer for vegetarian cooking, no single book that taught vegetarians basic cooking techniques, how to combine ingredients, and how to present vegetarian dishes with style. This was one of my first cookbooks, and it taught me that in today's meat-centric diet, vegetables can also be excellent and are never second fiddle. This is the one book every vegetarian should always have open in their kitchen.
For more recipes from this cookbook, click here.
For the frittata:
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
3 tablespoons plain or flavoured ricotta cheese + addition to dot the frittata
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon fresh or dried marjoram
2 tablespoons olive oil or butter
For the sandwich:
2 slices brioche or other white bread or focaccia
A touch of butter or mayonnaise
Mix all the ingredients for the frittata except the oil until the ricotta is mixed into the eggs and the slurry is smooth. It is best to use an egg beater for this step.
Heat the oven on broil mode with the rack at the highest rung.
Heat the oil in a small frying pan and pour in the egg mix. Cook on low heat, dotting the egg mix with small 1/2-teaspoon balls of additional ricotta. Cook until the eggs are set completely on top for about 4-5 minutes.
Slide the frying pan into the oven and broil for 3-4 minutes, rotating the pan every minute to cook the eggs evenly. Remove when the eggs are well browned on top.
Toast the brioche slices if desired. Apply a thin layer of butter or mayo. Add the frittata on top of the eggs. It will overhang the bread slices, and that is fine. Cover with an additional slice if desired, and serve immediately.