Frittatas bring me joy. These Italian open face omelets remove the need for fancy flips and bring a lot more texture to the table by making the final step a stop under the broiler. All manner of fillings can work, but this time of the year calls for fresh garden tomatoes and hearty greens. And I am particularly fond of pairing those with a bit of crisped thick cut bacon and the best cheese I have on hand. In this case, it's the most awarded cheese in American history - Pleasant Ridge Reserve - from Uplands Cheese - located just an hour from my home. Of course, any cheese that brings you joy will work beautifully in this dish and this one is, admittedly, a special treat for me and mine.
In addition to being able to tweak the kind of cheese - or skip it, though I do not recommend that route - you can substitute ham or sausage for the bacon and look to other seasonal vegetables as desired. Just remember that the more tweaking that happens, the more your results will shift from what's pictured here. Make it yours, but think about substitutions and avoid lots of watery items or ingredients that lack a punch of color and flavor.
My favorite way to serve slices of this beauty is alongside fresh seasonal fruit - peaches in this case - and large mugs of freshly brewed coffee. There are, of course, other options, but this one makes me smile. Find out what makes you smile and enjoy!
Bacon, Egyptian Spinach & Tomato Frittata
- 3 thick cut slices bacon - chopped
- 6 oz. cherry tomatoes - halved
- 8 oz. Egyptian spinach, regular spinach, or kale - chopped
- 4 large eggs
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- Salt & pepper - to taste
- ⅔ cup finely grated cheese - I used Pleasant Ridge Reserve
Fry the bacon until crisp in a large, ovenproof, nonstick skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat. When the bacon is cooked, lower the heat to medium and add the halved cherry tomatoes and Egyptian spinach or similar green. Toss to coat in oil and wilt the greens. Turn off the heat, but leave the pan on the stove.
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, heavy cream, and salt & pepper until the mixture is homogenous and light yellow in color. Carefully pour the mixture into the skillet and set the heat to medium low. Lift the edges of the egg mixture to allow the wet parts of it to run underneath. Keep doing this until the top is not wet, but looks lightly damp and a little glossy. Remove from the heat and sprinkle evenly with the cheese.
Set the oven to broil and broil the frittata for 2-3 minutes until the eggs are fully cooked and the cheese is melted and a little crisp. Slice the frittata and serve alongside seasonal fruit.
- Yields: 3-4 servings
- Preparation Time: 30 minutes