Feting Friends and Zucchini Frittatas
September 7, 2007
I’m headed to San Francisco tonight to fete my friend’s 40th (for the second year in a row) and Christopher and Noe are going to meet me there tomorrow morning for a picnic with some of our city friends. I woke up bummed that I wouldn’t see them tonight, what with this being the big “day care” week, but I had to smile when I saw Christopher’s note on the kitchen counter.
“Baby, would you leave your frittata recipe for me? I’ll make a couple tonight to bring to the picnic.”
I mean come on, how great is that? It’s Friday night and my husband is opting to be home alone with his daughter making frittatas. Lord I love that man.
And I love this frittata. Mind you, I grew up on frittatas. My mother would clean out the fridge once a week for her version of a frittata. But this one—THIS ONE—was unlike anything I’d ever had before.
The recipe dates back a few years, to our first trip to Orvieto in the Umbrian hills. We were staying at Locanda Rosati, hosted by the larger-than-life Giampiero Rosati and his brother-in-law Paolo, the chef. One evening’s antipasto was this Zucchini Frittata. Simple, unadorned, it was served in wedges at room temp and was somewhat uninspiring at first sight. But when I took a bite, it was like a flavorful savory custard in my mouth. I couldn’t get enough. So I pestered Paolo for the recipe and eventually pieced it together between his English and my Italian (who knew parsley in Italian was prezzemolo?). And here I share it with you . . . and Christopher.
{ Zucchini Frittata }
3/4 pound zucchini
3/4 pound onion
1/4 pound tomatoes
salt and pepper
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons parsley, minced
8 large eggs, beaten, salted and peppered
Slice the zucchini and onion crosswise very thinly, preferably on a mandolin, and place in a big bowl. Dice the tomatoes and add to the bowl. Salt and pepper the vegetables liberally and toss to mix well.
Heat ¼ cup olive oil in a large salt pan and cook vegetables over medium heat for ten minutes, or until tender and just softening, but not yet brown. Stir in parsley and set aside to cool for five minutes. When slightly cooled, pour vegetables back into the large bowl, add the scrambled eggs, and mix thoroughly.
Heat a large, nonstick salt pan over high heat, and when hot, add the remaining olive oil. Wait until the oil is shimmering but not smoking, and gently pour the egg and vegetable mixture into the pan. Lower the heat to medium and cook, shaking the pan occasionally, until the center of the omelet is almost firm, about ten to twelve minutes.
Place a large plate or platter (larger than the rim of the pan) over the pan, facing down, and gently flip the pan over, sliding the omelet upside down onto the plate. Gingerly slide the omelet back into the pan, still upside down, so the side that was just browned on the bottom is now on the top. Gently tuck the edges under with a spatula and cook until firm throughout, about another ten minutes. Slide onto a plate and serve either warm, room temperature or chilled.
Serves 8 as an antipasto
What to drink? We had this with a nice, crisp Orvieto Classico at Locanda Rosati, which paired perfectly. Along a more mainstream line, I’d recommend a Pinot Grigio or even a Sauvignon Blanc that played more on citrus notes than herbal or grassy ones.
This post is part of Kalyn’s Kitchen Weekend Herb Blogging. Thanks for hosting Katie (from Thyme for Cooking)!
