And suddenly there were three (of us). Ever wake up one morning and find an18-year-old living in your house? Yes, it was an unexpected development. At 44 I’d pretty much given up on having kids of my own and my finance’s three kids seemed to be out on their own. But it turns out my step-son (to be) needs a place to stay while he is getting on his feet and I have/had an empty guest room. All of this is to say that now there are sometimes family dinners. Weird.
Like most new moms–okay, I’m not a new mom, I know, but still, I’m tired at the end of the day and looking for something easy and healthy to cook for my family. Solution? Frittata. Everyone is pleased. Theoretically you could used different veggie combos (or meat, if you’re an omnivore) just about every meal of the week. On the other hand, you might want to vary your diet. Though in one study people who ate eggs every day had lower cholesterol than those who didn’t eat eggs. Anyway.
One caveat: if you want to make a genuine frittata, you’ll want a cast iron skillet–or at least an ovenproof skillet– to stick in the oven to finish the dish.
To give credit where due, the following recipe is a variation (or perhaps a riff) on the Moosewood Restaurant New Classics Mixed Greens Frittata.
3 cups chopped greens such as spinach, Swiss chard, or kale
1/2 can artichoke hearts in water, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup chopped fresh thyme
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
2 teaspoons olive oil
6 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 half-and-half
1/4 teaspoon salt
pepper to taste
3/4 cup sharp cheddar and parmesan cheeses, divided into two roughly equal portions
In a 10-inch cast iron (or other ovenproof) skillet, use 1 tsp of olive oil to wilt greens, thyme, basil. Transfer to a bowl and mix in the artichoke hearts.
Lightly oil the skillet with the remaining oil and set it over medium-high heat. If you’re using cast iron, you’ll want to wait for the whole skillet to come to temperature. A farmer taught me this trick.
In another bowl, whisk eggs, half and half, salt, and pepper together. Then stir in half of the cheese mixture. Combine with the greens.
Pour the mixture into your hot skillet and sprinkle the top evenly with all the remaining cheese. Lower the heat to medium-low and cook without even nudging the eggs until they begin to firm and pull away from the sides of the pan. This should take only about five minutes. The dish is mostly cooked, but the top will be undercooked.
Stick the pan under the broiler for a few minutes, watching carefully for the top to firm and turn golden brown.
Serve in wedges and adorn with micro greens, to great applause.
