Frittata Friday

There is a first for everything, and last night marked my first time making a frittata. I've been cooking lots of new things lately, and working on recipes that are hearty, healthy, and provide leftovers, so that Jeff and I can eat delicious food inexpensively. As I compiled my weekly grocery list, I got to thinking about baked eggs. I'm a huge quiche fan, but have no idea how to make crust, so I figured a crustless quiche would be easy and yummy. As I searched Foodily for inspiration, I realized that my creative idea had already been invented by the Italians and was otherwise known as a frittata. Seeing no need to follow a recipe too closely, I set off with a bag of frozen spinach, a dozen eggs, an onion, and a handful of cheese. I did check a few sites to see what temperature I should heat the oven and the ratio of eggs to filling.

In a mixing bowl, whisk 9 eggs, a few tablespoons of milk,
and a handful or two of your favorite cheese.

In a large, oven safe, non stick skillet, saute one large onion in olive oil
over medium heat. Add one pound defrosted spinach.

Pour egg mixture over evenly distributed vegetables and
keep on medium heat until eggs start to set.

I sprinkled a little more cheese on top and then into the oven she goes!
For about 15 minutes.

While the frittata was baking, I sauteed some chicken breast in olive oil and
topped with tomato "bruschetta."

Voila! The frittata is ready when it's puffy and golden brown. I stuck a knife in
it at about 13 minutes to make sure it was done and then
let it get a little more brown.

Served with chicken and tomato bruschetta and some crusty bread.

As usual, this was a very easy meal to make! It came out perfectly cooked and my only complaint was that it lacked some flavor. Most of the ingredients in a spinach and onion frittata are bland, so some salt, pepper, garlic powder, or a more flavorful veggie or cheese would have made a bit of difference. We salted up our own slices and were happy as clams. Jeff liked it so much that he requested that we eat it weekly! What I love most about egg dishes like this and quiche is that they're even better the next day, once the flavors have had a couple hours to permeate. We both had frittata for breakfast and felt ready to conquer the day. Next time, I'm going to try it with a saltier cheese, like goat or Parmesan, and sauteed mushrooms.

Recipe: 

Frittata:
(Makes 4-6 servings. This could be a main course with salad and bread, in which case I would recommend 4 servings.)
9 eggs
2-3 tablespoons milk
1/2 cup shredded cheese (I used mozzarella but Gruyere, Parmesan, or goat cheese would work well)
1 large onion, diced
1 pound frozen spinach, defrosted
Olive oil
Salt and pepper to desired taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk eggs, milk, and cheese.
In large, oven safe, non stick skillet, saute onion in olive oil over medium heat until soft.
Add spinach and saute with onion until heated through, spread evenly in skillet.
Pour egg mixture over vegetables in skillet, making sure to pour evenly. Move vegetables around so that egg mixture can seep through to the bottom.
Keep cooking at medium heat until eggs start to set. Sprinkle extra cheese on top.
Cook on top shelf of oven for 12-15 minutes until the top is golden brown and a knife comes out clean.
Let stand for 5 minutes before slicing.

NOTE: If you don't have an oven safe skillet, pour mixture into baking dish before baking.

Chicken and tomato "bruschetta":
6 chicken strips or 2 chicken breasts, raw and rinsed
1 package cherry tomatoes, rinsed and diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons olive oil

Combine cherry tomatoes, garlic and olive oil in bowl. Mix and set aside.
Saute chicken breasts or strips in olive oil over medium heat until cooked.
Pour tomato mixture over chicken breasts. 
Add extra olive oil and spices as desired.