Frittata di zucchini e ricotta
I think every Italian cook has their favourite frittata and they’ll swear that their recipe is the best. I’m a little more broad in that I love them all! I threw this one together after I bought a basket of fresh local zucchini and received fresh eggs from a Mennonite farm. I took some traditions from both my mother and my mother-in-law - ricotta from the Donnicese tradition and mint from the Barese side. The common tradition is to use quality ingredients, including the extra virgin olive oil! I didn’t really measure anything… I literally let my intuition be my guide. I’ve included my list of ingredients but once you have the technique down, you can make so many variations. I used a mandolin to slice my zucchini but a knife would have been fine! A nonstick pan is a must! You can use a well-seasoned cast iron pan but forget tossing the veggies with one hand!
Ingredients
- 4 small zucchini thinly sliced
- 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil more for drizzling
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 8 fresh farm eggs
- ¾ cup cubed Friulano cheese
- Freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano
- ¾ cup fresh ricotta
- 1 tsp finely chopped fresh mint
Instructions
- Sauté zucchini in olive oil, until soft and lightly golden. Lightly season with salt and pepper.
- In the meantime, whisk eggs in bowl. Lightly season with salt and pepper.
- Pour in pan, pushing in sides with spatula. Shake pan to re-shape and spread zucchini evenly.
- Lightly stir in cubed cheese. Add dallops of ricotta and sprinkle with Parmigiano.
- Sprinkle with chopped mint and drizzle with oil.
- Place under broiler for a few minutes or until top surface is set and lightly golden.
- Slide frittata on platter. Garnish with more grated cheese and sprig of mint. Serve hot, room-termperature, or cold.
Notes
Here’s the technique:
The number of eggs depends on how many servings you intend to have and the size of your pan. I recommend using at least 3 eggs if your pan is very small.
Use whatever vegetable you like. Slice thinly and saute until soft and lightly golden. This step draws out moisture so that your frittata holds its shape. You can keep the vegetable tendercrisp or cook until very soft or crisp.
Instead of fresh, consider adding leftover cooked vegetables.
You can keep this dish dairy-free by omitting the cheese and ricotta.
Consider adding chopped prosciutto, ham, or salami. Or add leftover cubed chicken or cooked sausage.
Select your favourite herbs. How about a zesting of lemon for more fragrance and flavour?
When you pour in the eggs in the pan, wait a minute before pushing in the edges with the spatula. Shake the pan for the egg mixture to reshape. Use a spatula to lightly fold in the edges to make the frittata neat.
Remember to season well with salt and pepper.
The final cooking step is to broil. It avoids having to flip the frittata over and it creates a nice crust, especially if you sprinkle with Parmigiano and drizzle with olive oil.
The final cooking step is to broil. It avoids having to flip the frittata over and it creates a nice crust, especially if you sprinkle with Parmigiano and drizzle with olive oil.