Brunch: Exploring the Humble Frittata
A frittata, which loosely translates to ‘fried’ in Italian, is sometimes called the Italian Omelette, although…in my opinion, it is infinitely better than an omelette. It’s so easy to prepare and frankly, there’s really no right or wrong frittata. The only way you can cook a frittata incorrectly is if you pop it in the oven to bake. A frittata is always fried, never baked.
When I was a kid, I was always excited for Saturdays because that’s the day my dad would either make Eggs and Potatoes or a Frittata for breakfast. He would usually fry potatoes which had been cut into rounds, add pieces of ham or bacon and then the whisked eggs. He would top it would sharp cheddar cheese and then serve once the eggs had set. It was always so simple but so satisfying. Once I learned how to make them, I felt like I had harnessed some kind of special breakfast super power. Like, I made this beautiful thing and it wasn’t that hard to make but nobody needs to know that it was a cinch to make…all they can see is how beautiful it is. The best part of the frittata is that it’s never really been considered formal fare and, in fact, were made primarily to use up leftover vegetables (or meats).
I’m sharing my recipe for a frittata which combines cilantro and chopped jalapeño for a Mexican-inspired breakfast that can be served with hot sauce and topped with crumbly cotija cheese. I typically use a base of fried potatoes for all my frittatas because what’s breakfast without potatoes, amirite?
Ingredients
3 gold potatoes
1-2 jalapeños depending on how spicy you’d like it
1 shallot
5 eggs
Fresh cilantro leaves
Crumbled cotija cheese, to taste
Salt and pepper
Vegetable oil
Instructions
Prep Your Ingredients: Dice the potatoes into small cubes (I keep the skin on). Deseed the jalapeños and finely chop. Slice the shallots into rings. Add the eggs to a bowl and whisk until creamy and season with salt and pepper.
1. For me, the most important part of the frittata is crispy, browned potatoes. Make sure you get the oil in your skillet nice and hot. Once the potatoes are added, season with salt and pepper. Most importantly: let them chill and do their thing! The more you move them around and flip them, the more they will break and they will end up kind of mushy and not crispy. It usually takes around 10-15 minutes to get the potatoes nice and brown and crispy. If you’re using a cast iron skillet, make sure the skillet is properly seasoned, otherwise, your frittata will stick (not a huge deal, but it’s nice to be able to cut it right out of the pan or to flip it directly on to a plate).
2. Add the shallots and jalapeños to the potatoes and let them cook for a few minutes, until softened.
3. Arrange all the ingredients in the skillet in an even layer and reduce the heat. Pour the egg mixture over the potatoes and gently move the pan around a bit to make sure the eggs are distributed evenly in the pan. Top with cilantro leaves and crumbled cheese. Cover for 10-15 minutes. The frittata is ready once the eggs are set.
Plate it up: Cut the frittata into quarters. Serve with your favorite hot sauce and additional crumbled cheese. Enjoy!