The Culinary Works

Need an inexpensive meal idea?  How about a way to put a new spin on left overs?  Frittata is one of those dishes that makes using up left overs or throwing together a cheap easy meal simple but oh so tasty!

The only piece of equipment you must have is a non-stick sauté pan you can put into the oven, which you have preset to 350 degrees.  Be sure it’s oven safe!

Now raid your fridge and see what you have.  Any left over meats and or vegetables will work great.  If they are already cooked, that’s just fine.  If you have some fresh scallion or herbs and some kind of cheese, even better!

For the two of us, I use a 6-inch non-stick sauté pan.  In a bowl I whisk together 5 eggs, a ¼ cup of milk and season with salt and pepper. 

Now you want to create a base of yummy frittata add-ins.  The idea is to get any raw ingredients sautéing in the pan because you need the meat and any raw veggies to be completely cooked before you add any already cooked items that just need to be warmed up.  I like to start with a piece of raw bacon or sausage, but it’s ok if it’s cooked, it will just go a bit faster.  You can also use left over meats of any kind or skip the meat and go all veggie.  First, anything raw goes, then the item that will take the next longest to cook etc etc.  (Note:  If you are getting anxiety deciding what to put in first or second, you can cook each item separately, one at a time in the same pan, taking one out when it’s done and adding another.  Then just mix it all back together before you add in the egg mixture.)  I like to fill the pan about 1/3 of the way with extras, a little more or less is ok, just don’t get carried away and not leave enough room for the egg.

EXAMPLE:  Lets say I found in my fridge, a lonely unused uncooked Italian sausage, some chopped onion and peppers I had left over and some roasted potatoes from Pork Chop night.  I dug around and found a couple scallions and some fresh basil that I sliced up and a sandwich bag of left over shredded cheese.  I will get the pan hot over medium heat and add a tablespoon of olive oil, then sauté the sausage, which I have sliced so it cooks faster.  When it’s nearly cooked, I add in the onions and peppers, let them soften a bit and then the potatoes just to let them reheat.  When everything is nicely married together, I pour my egg mixture in, sprinkle the cheese, basil and scallions on and turn the heat down.  Then, I carefully slide it into the oven for about 12-15 minutes.  When I check it, I can tell it’s done when the center is set and it’s just starting to brown.  If it’s still a little runny, I suggest you check it every 2 minutes thereafter.

After I take it out of the oven, because I used the nonstick pan, it slides right out onto the cutting board.  Let it cool for a few minutes, then just slice and serve it.  For a nice touch you can garnish it with some chopped herbs and a sprinkle of cheese.  Next to a green salad it’s a filling meal for two.  If you have a bigger crew to feed, just use a larger 10-12 inch non-stick pan and double the egg mixture.  Let it cook for 15-18 minutes and then check it.