The Egg and I: How to Make Incredible Omelets and Frittatas (6 page)

This is another potato-based frittata.  With basil and Italian seasoning, it will remind you a little of a pizza.  Change to
another seasoning blend and you’ll have a very different dish.

We have dozens of seasoning blends to choose from.  Try one of the
Mexican based seasoning blends from Teeny Tiny Spice Company of Vermont
. 

See all our seasoning blends.

8 large eggs
2 tablespoons milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 pinch coarse or fine ground pepper
1 tablespoon butter

1 medium onion, sliced
4 small red potatoes, sliced
1/2 pound country-style sausage
1/2 teaspoon
Zesty Italian Seasoning
or other seasoning blend
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, salt, basil, and pepper together. Set aside. 
   
2. In a large nonstick skillet, sauté the onions and potatoes until tender. Set aside.
   
3. Cook the country style sausage, drain the grease, and then stir in the seasoning. Add the vegetables back to the meat. Spread the meat and vegetables across the bottom of the pan.
   
4. Pour the egg mixture over the meat and vegetables. Cook over medium heat. With a silicone spatula, lift the edges of the omelet so that the uncooked egg can flow back under the cooked portion of the omelet. Continue cooking until the omelet is mostly cooked and the top is still liquid.
   
5. Turn on the broiler element in the oven and set the rack about 5 or 6 inches below the element.
   
6. Sprinkle cheese over the top of the omelet. Set the omelet under the broiler element. Cook for about two minutes or until the top is set and the cheese is melted. Serve hot.
   

So if you’ve cooked too much corn on the cob last night, today’s your lucky day.   You get to make a Texas Corn Frittata. If you don’t have any fresh corn around, use this recipe with a can of kernel corn and you’ll still have a great frittata.

Since a frittata is a lazy man’s omelet, it won’t take much effort.

I
f you don’t want to make this in the oven, this makes a wonderful omelet, or even scrambled eggs.

A frittata starts out as an omelet but ends up under the broiler in your oven for just a few minutes. Since you don’t have to fold it, it’s super easy to do. Cook it a part of the way through on the stovetop then stick it in the oven under the broiler element for just a few minutes.

This frittata is loaded with sweet corn, onions, and green peppers and topped with a sprinkling of cheese. We think you’ll enjoy it.

1/4 cup diced onion
1/4 cup diced pepper
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup corn kernels
6 large eggs
pepper and salt
1 tablespoon sour cream
1 cup grated mozzarella or cheddar cheese
fresh tomato slices or salsa for accompaniment

1. In the butter, sauté the onion and pepper in a ten-inch, oven-proof skillet. 
   
2. Cut a generous cup of cooked corn kernels from an ear of corn or use well-drained corn from a can. Whisk the eggs, salt and pepper to taste, and sour cream with corn. Pour the mixture into the hot skillet. Cook until the eggs are set in the bottom half of the frittata but the top half is still runny. While the eggs are cooking, run a flexible spatula around the edges of the pan twice, slightly lifting the frittata and allowing some of the runny mixture to flow under the frittata. Preheat the oven on the broiler setting.
   
3. Place the skillet in the oven about four inches below the broiler setting. The frittata will finish cooking in just a minute or two so watch it carefully. When the top is just set, remove it from the oven. Sprinkle the top with grated cheese. The heat from the frittata should melt the cheese but if it doesn’t, stick the frittata back under the broiler for just a few seconds.
   

Serve hot with fresh tomato slices or salsa.

Whether for breakfast or lunch, frittatas are quick and easy to fix. You can cook them in any oven-proof pan and since you don’t have to turn them, even the clumsy
among us can make beautiful frittatas.

Use this recipe as a basis to make any frittata you like. This frittata recipe showcases the fresh tomatoes of summer along with Italian herbs.

We prefer fresh, uncooked tomatoes on our frittatas—but that’s just our preference. If you would rather, add the tomatoes with the cheese and broil the tomatoes.

1 small onion, diced
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
9 large eggs
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon crushed, dried oregano
1 teaspoon dry basil
4 to 6 thin slices of mozzarella cheese
2 ripe tomatoes

1. Sauté the onion in oil in a
   10 or 11-inch oven-proof skillet
   until it is tender. Remove the pan from the heat. 
   
2. Whisk the eggs, parmesan, salt, pepper, oregano, and basil in a bowl. Pour the egg mixture into the skillet and stir.
   
3. Bake for ten to twelve minutes at 350 degrees or until the egg is almost set. Remove from the oven. Arrange the slices of cheese on the frittata. Set the oven on broil.
   
4. With the eggs about five inches away from the elements, broil the frittata for about three minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Remove the frittata from the oven.
   
5. Pile thin slices of tomato on the frittata. Serve hot.
   

One of the differences between a frittata and an omelet is that the ingredients in the frittata are mixed into the eggs instead of folded into an omelet. A frittata is started on the stovetop and finished in the oven.  This recipe calls for tomatoes, bacon, basil, and mozzarella cheese.

Ingredients

1/2 pound bacon
2 large tomatoes, thinly sliced
3 green onions, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
10 large eggs
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups grated mozzarella cheese, divided

Directions

1. In a ten-inch ovenproof skillet, fry the bacon. Drain the bacon on paper towels and then cut the bacon into large chunks.  Pour the excess grease from the skillet. 
   
2. Whisk the eggs, onion, basil, salt, and pepper together in a bowl.
      Pour the egg mixture into the pan.
   
3. Turn the broiler on in the oven.
   
4. Cook on the stovetop over medium heat for five to ten minutes or until the bottom of the frittata becomes almost firm, lifting the edges occasionally to let the uncooked egg run underneath.
   
5. Place the skillet in the oven on the highest rack, under the broiler, and cook for two to five minutes or until the frittata is firm.
   
6. Remove from the oven and sprinkle the top of the frittata with grated mozzarella cheese.  Arrange the tomato slices over the frittata and sprinkle with the bacon pieces. Serve hot.
   

This is an omelet in a casserole.  Use an 8x10-inch pan or the closest you have. 

If either the filling or the omelets cool off before assembly, you can carefully reheat them in the microwave. Do not overcook the eggs in the microwave or they will become tough.

10 large eggs
1/4 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon coarse or fine ground pepper

1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1 medium onion, diced
1 medium green or red bell pepper, diced
1/2 teaspoon dry crushed basil
3/4 cup cooked ham, diced
1 medium tomato, diced
1 to 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

1. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, salt, and pepper together.
   
2. Place a nonstick or lightly greased baking sheet on an oven rack at 2/3’s height. Pour the egg mixture into the pan. Bake for ten to fifteen minutes or until the eggs are set but still glossy.
   
3. Sauté the mushrooms, onion, and pepper together. Add the basil, cooked ham, and tomato.
   
4. Remove the baked omelet from the oven. Cut the omelet into four squares. Place a square on each of four plates. Spoon one-fourth of the vegetable filling over each square. Sprinkle with cheese. Fold the omelet square in half to form either a rectangle or a triangle. Garnish with the remainder of the cheese.