I cannot say enough good things about frittatas. If you're not familiar with them, they are an Italian egg dish that is essentially a crustless quiche. One of the best things about them is that they are infinitely adaptable and can be a base for any great combination of flavors. My favorites include caramelized onion and goat cheese, and swiss chard and gruyere. But getting my children to eat frittatas has been a bit of a challenge.
They do love their tacos, though, so a frittata with taco fillings and flavors seemed worth a try. They loved it! And what's not to love? The frittata contains black beans, cheddar cheese, and corn chips, all foods that they adore. I think it was key that Chloe, the most picky eater of the bunch, helped crush the corn chips and add them to the egg. Just knowing that the dinner contained chips was enough to get her to try it.
Another plus with frittatas is that they are easy to prepare and relatively quick to cook. All of the labor is spent in the preparation of the fillings and if you have some helpers that can go even more quickly. Then the frittata just sits and cooks; you only need to intervene once to move it from stovetop to oven.
This frittata is substantial enough to have as a main course. We ate it with bread and a salad it was a satisfying meal for all of us. It can be eaten either hot or at room temperature, which makes it an ideal dish for a picnic or a potluck dinner.
Taco Frittata
Serves 5
10 minutes preparation time
30 minutes cooking time
10 eggs
3 scallions, chopped
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese, or a mix of monterey jack and cheddar
1 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1 1/2 15-ounce cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup crushed tortilla chips
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tomato, sliced into rounds
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, scramble the eggs and add all of the remaining ingredients except the olive oil and tomatoes. In a large oven-proof frying pan, heat the oil over medium heat until it is quite hot and swirl it around to coat the pan. Add the egg mixture all at once. Let the egg cook on the stovetop for about 10 minutes, until the egg starts to set around the edge of the pan. Gently add the tomato slices to the top of the frittata.
Carefully transfer the pan to the oven and bake it until the frittata is firm, about 20 minutes. Remove the pan and carefully slide the frittata onto a plate for serving. Be very careful with the handle of the pan which will remain quite hot for some time. The frittata can be served hot or at room temperature.
This was the best new dish I have tried in a very long time. It is satisfying on every level. It is pure genius!
Posted by: galugo | April 22, 2009 at 10:39 AM
It's just AMAZING :)
Posted by: Chapi | May 02, 2011 at 10:52 PM