The flavor combination of bacon, tomato, and basil - ideally paired with a creamy cheese - is one of my favorites. Whether they are gracing pasta or pizza, a sandwich or eggs, I really swoon when they come into play. So when breakfast or brunch roll around and I'm looking for ideas, my brain tells me a frittata needs these ingredients.
And my brain is right. Save this one for a time when you have fresh basil. It needs to have that strong influence to hold its own with the rest of the flavor royalty going into this dish. If you don't have sun dried tomatoes, you could use fresh, but drain away some of the juices from the chopped tomatoes to keep the dish from becoming soggy and to avoid bacon grease spatter when adding them to the pan.
Serve this frittata alongside a light salad, fresh fruit, muffins or toast … really all the breakfast and brunch favorites will play nicely with this one. As such, I officially suggest it's a keeper and an excellent use of your garden's near-endless supply of summer basil. Enjoy!
Bacon, Sun Dried Tomato, Basil & Chèvre Frittata
- 4-5 slices bacon, chopped
- ⅓ cup chopped sun dried tomatoes in oil
- ¼ cup coarsely chopped fresh basil
- 6 eggs
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 2 oz. crumbed chèvre
Fry the chopped bacon in a large, nonstick frying or sauté pan. Add the chopped sun dried tomatoes during the last couple minutes of frying. Turn off the stove and toss in the basil and let it wilt while you prepare the eggs.
Crack the eggs and pout the cream into a large, resealable jar. Seal the jar and shake vigorously until a thick custard forms and no bits of separated egg yolk or white can be seen in the jar. Carefully pour the egg mixture into the hot pan and turn the burner to medium. Continue cooking and lifting the edges of the eggs to allow wet egg to slide under until the top is shiny, but no longer fully uncooked.
Turn the broiler on high and sprinkle the top of the eggs with the crumbed chèvre. Place the pan under the broiler and - watching constantly - broil until the top of the frittata is set and the cheese is fully soft and melty. Slice and serve.
- Yields: 4-6 servings
- Preparation Time: 30 minutes