Zucchini and Summer Herb Frittata
Posted on July 16, 2009
Serves 4 to 6
Italian frittatas make a great summer meal served with good bread and a simple green salad. They are delicious served warm straight from the pan but also hold up well prepared in advance and served at room temperature. Like meatloaf, leftover slices of frittata make a great summer picnic sandwich.
For this dish, wash zucchini well, trim away stem and blossom ends, slice in half lengthwise then slice each half into thin crescents.
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 cup thinly sliced onion
4 cups thinly sliced zucchini (about 3 medium zucchini)
Finely milled sea salt to taste
5 eggs
2 tbs. shredded fresh basil
2 tbs. chopped fresh chives
½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons butter
Additional fresh herbs for garnish
Using a 10″ non stick skillet, place the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the onion along with a generous pinch of salt and sauté until tender and beginning to brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the zucchini, another pinch of salt, and continue to sauté until the zucchini is completely softened, reduced by half, and beginning to take on a nice nut brown color like the onion. Using a slotted spoon, remove the browned vegetables from the pan and set aside to cool while you prepare the eggs. Discard any remaining oil left in the pan.
Preheat the broiler. Crack eggs into a bowl and whisk lightly with a fork breaking up the yolks. Add the parmesan & herbs along with a generous pinch of salt and several grinds of black pepper. When the vegetables have cooled down, stir them into the egg mixture. Place the skillet over medium heat, add the butter and allow to melt becoming foamy, but not browned. Add the entire contents of the bowl, reduce the heat to low, and cook gently until the eggs have set up nicely and begun to thicken through the center. Shake the pan occasionally to prevent the frittata from sticking as well as give you an idea of the texture of the eggs. When only the top surface remains runny place the pan under the boiler and cook briefly until the top layer has set and just beginning to color. Remove and serve straight from the pan or invert onto a serving platter and garnish with a sprinkling of more fresh herbs. Serve warm or room temperature.