So I’ve had a recipe for a “summer fritatta” kicking around for a few months. I cut it out of a magazine (I think Every Day with Rachel Ray, but couldn’t find any reference to the recipe online, so not positive) because it looked simple, healthy, and was vegetarian (for Dude).
Sorry, Ms. Ray, but one of the reasons I think the recipe came from your magazine is because there are zero spices. The last recipe of hers I made was ridiculously bland just for that reason. This fritatta called for:
- 8 eggs
- 1 10-oz package of frozen spinach, thawed and water squeezed out
- 1/4 tsp + 1/8 tsp salt
- 1 cup roasted red peppers from a jar
- 3 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tbsp crumbled goat cheese
That’s it! Healthy, sure, but fairly tasteless. So, although I tend to be pretty tentative about such things, I went ahead and doctored it a little. Here is the rest of the recipe, as I remember it (I’m too lazy to go into the kitchen to get it) along with my additions:
Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees F. In medium bowl, whisk 1/4 tsp salt with eggs (don’t remember what remaining salt was for). I added about 1/8 tsp garlic powder as well, though I should have added more, or minced garlic later. In large oven-safe skillet, heat 2 tbsp oil over medium heat. Pour in eggs and cook until edges are set, about 4 minutes. Top with spinach, peppers, and cheese. I included fresh basil and oregano, picked from outside in the rain–oh, and I used herbed goat cheese. Bake in oven until eggs are cooked and cheese has melted, about 10 minutes. Makes four servings.
Here’s what Dude and the kids (minus E, who is away on a visit with B-mom) thought of it:
Yes, indeed, the kids ate that veggie-loaded dish and liked it! It was truly four servings, although I think it would have been more satisfying if we’d had some kind of yummy bread with it. There’s always next time–the kids requested I make it again! I may experiment with adding other toppings, like olives, different spices or switching up the veggies a little. Dude does most of the cooking, and worked for a major catering service as a chef for a while, so I tend to defer to him in the kitchen, but successes like this give me more confidence to try new things. We’ve got three shelves of cookbooks and a stack of magazine cut-outs for me to choose from, and should help get us out of the food rut we’ve been in since combining households. Looks like I might be cooking dinner more often!
Wait a second…
birch & raven 