Frittata - My favorite Egg Dish

Here is an egg dish that I've been making and serving since the early 1980's when I first got this recipe out of a Family Circle magazine.   I haven't seen it in any magazines since then, and I wonder why, because it is just plain good and simple! Everyone that I have ever served this to likes it!  And the best part is that you can add anything you want to the basic egg/milk/cheese mix and vary the taste to your liking.   It makes an excellent brunch dish for family or guests, or a simple supper for a late supper or a Sunday evening dish.  You can fancy it up with gourmet cheese, serve it with muffins or croissants or just plain toast, or even biscuits, which I often do.   It is different and elegant and even kids like this.

Here is the basic recipe:

FRITTATA

6 eggs
a scant cup of milk (I don't fill it quite to the mark)
2 T. butter, melted (use butter - margarine is too watery for this dish)
salt and pepper to taste
about 1 c. cheese (you can use more or less - but I like lots of cheese!)
vegetables of your choice and/or meats of your choice

     Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Grease a 10/and 1/2 inch glass or Pyrex quiche pan with some of the melted butter.  Beat eggs, milk, melted butter,  and salt and pepper together.  Pour into the quiche pan.  Sprinkle with some shredded cheese (about 1/2 cup).  Then put on whatever vegetables or meats you want, then put on this the remaining cheese.   Sprinkle with paprika for a nice colorful touch!  Carefully put in the oven so as not to jar the combination around too much.

     Bake for about 30 minutes, until eggs are puffy and set and the cheese is slightly browned.   Let sit for a minute or so, then cut into wedges like pie, and proudly serve to your guests who will be very impressed with your expertise!  

     Serves 4 to 6, depending on what you serve with it, and what you put into it. 

Choose from vegetables like:  chopped broccoli, red pepper, green pepper, sliced cooked potatoes, onions of various kinds, mushrooms, asparagus, zucchini, yellow squash, chopped tomatoes, olives, leftover cooked veggies, etc.  Whatever you like! No need to pre-cook the veggies, the baking does this for you.

Choose from meats like:  chopped ham, chopped Spam (now don't laugh, chopped up it makes a good meat for this dish!), browned Italian or seasoned sausage  or sliced up Little Sizzlers cooked, chopped cooked leftover roast beef or pork, sliced Polish Kielbasa or cooked venison. 

Choose from cheese like:  Monterey Jack, Colby Jack, Pepper Jack, Cheddar, American, Gouda, Swiss, flavored cheeses, or a combination of odds and ends of whatever you have in the refrigerator.  Mozzarella does NOT work very good, though, too stringy for this dish. 

Here is a photo of the dish before it goes into the oven: 

First put in the egg mix, then some cheese, then some toppings, then more cheese, and sprinkle with paprika.

Here is a photo of what it looks like after it has baked: 

Slightly crisp, browned and baked to perfection!

Some of my favorite combinations:

In spring, I like chopped tiny fresh asparagus, green onions, fresh mushrooms and Gouda cheese. 

In summer, I like chopped zucchini, chopped fresh tomato, shredded fresh spinach and Cheddar cheese.

In fall, I like red and green pepper, boiled and sliced small red potatoes with the skins on, chopped red onion and Monterey Jack cheese. 

In winter, I like chopped broccoli, mushrooms, and Pepper Jack cheese.  

Truly, this dish is as versatile as you want to make it.   I usually make it meatless (because I am a vegetarian) and serve the meat on the side, but you could add any kind of meat to any kind of veggie combo and you will always have a different tasting frittata every time you make it!   For a fancy brunch for guests, I like to serve this dish with blueberry or apple muffins, or some kind of coffeecake, or freshly made biscuits, fresh fruit, sausages on the side and fruit juice.   I do hope you try your favorite meat and cheese combination - you won't be sorry!