By Martha Rose Shulman
- Total Time
- 30 minutes
- Rating
- 4(376)
- Notes
- Read community notes
There is a technique to making a frittata that is always the same, no matter what the filling. The eggs are beaten with salt, pepper, and sometimes a little bit of milk, the filling stirred in, and the omelet cooked in a wide skillet. You can use cooked vegetables, chopped herbs, leftover vegetable stews like ratatouille, fresh tomato sauce, even leftover risotto to fill a frittata. Frittatas and omelets are a great way to stretch a small amount of leftovers into a meal.
Templates will be useful to you, because you may have a different vegetable or filling on hand from the one called for in a given frittata recipe. Using the template, you’ll be able to make the frittate, substituting what you have.
Featured in: How to Make a Frittata
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Ingredients
Yield:one 2- to 10-egg flat omelet
- 2 to 10large or extra-large eggs
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 to 3tablespoons low-fat milk
- 1tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- The filling of your choice
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Preparation
Step
1
Beat the eggs in a large bowl. Stir in the salt, pepper, milk, and the filling.
Step
2
Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a heavy nonstick skillet. Use an 8-inch skillet for 2 eggs, a 10-inch skillet for 4 to 8 eggs, and a 12-inch skillet for 10 eggs. Hold your hand above it; it should feel hot. Drop a bit of egg into the pan and if it sizzles and cooks at once, the pan is ready. Pour in the egg mixture. Swirl the pan to distribute the eggs and filling evenly over the surface. Shake the pan gently, tilting it slightly with one hand while lifting up the edges of the frittata with the spatula in your other hand, to let the eggs run underneath during the first few minutes of cooking. A 2-egg omelet will be done quickly, with just the tilting of the pan and letting the eggs run underneath until it is no longer or only slightly moist on the top. Once it is set, slip it out of the pan onto a plate. It’s fine to leave the top a little runny (that’s the way they like them in France.)
Step
3
A larger frittata, one cooked in a 10- or 12-inch pan, must be covered and cooked over low heat. Turn the heat down to low, cover (use a pizza pan if you don’t have a lid that will fit your skillet), and cook 5 to 10 minutes, depending on the number of eggs, shaking the pan gently every once in a while. From time to time remove the lid and loosen the bottom of the frittata with a wooden spatula, tilting the pan, so that the bottom doesn’t burn. It will however turn a deep golden brown. The eggs should be just about set; cook a few minutes longer if they’re not.
Step
4
A large frittata usually requires finishing underneath the broiler. Heat the broiler. Place the pan under the broiler, not too close to the heat, for 1 to 3 minutes, watching very carefully to make sure the top doesn’t burn (at most, it should brown very slightly, and it will puff under the broiler). Remove from the heat, shake the pan to make sure the frittata isn’t sticking, and allow it to cool for at least 5 minutes and for up to 15. Loosen the edges with a wooden or plastic spatula. Carefully slide from the pan onto a large round platter. Cut into wedges or into smaller bite-size diamonds. Serve hot, warm, at room temperature, or cold.
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out of 5
376
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Cooking Notes
Lynda H.
I use 4 to 5 cups of lightly cooked vegetables for a 6-egg frittata cooked in a 10-inch skillet. I also like to beat about 1/4 cup grated cheese (such as Parmesan) into the eggs (before adding the vegetables) and sprinkle the top of the frittata with another 1/4 cup grated cheese.
Craige
Step 2 refers to omelets. Er?
Eleanor
According to the introduction to the recipe, the filling is stirred into the eggs before they are poured into the skillet.
Hopbell
I'm making a Frittata tonight for supper. I often add a little Pomi Pizza sauce to the eggs.
Kathryn
I always bake my frittata in a ceramic dish, usually 8 x 13 or thereabouts. A little oil or butter in the bottom. 325 degrees. I use 8 - 10 eggs. 40-45 minutes, until the top is set. EASY cleanup.
Ellen F.
I have a plate that I purchased in Spain that is specifically used to turn a tortilla española (something like a potato frittata). Once one side is well set I simply place the plate on top of the 10 inch skillet and flip the tortilla and then cook the other side. No reason you cannot use any fairly flat plate that fits over your omelette pan and do this with a frittata as well.
Nsteele
You can make a very pretty frittata by arranging some of the filling elements decoratively after you've added the eggs to the pan. You can arrange herbs, bits of goat cheese, squash blossoms, etc. Be creative!
Fast Marty
For a big(ger) frittata, I saute my filling items first, then add the beaten eggs, cook on medium heat for awhile, then finish in a 350 degree oven -- the last minute I run it under the broiler.
Barbara
I used 8 eggs, a splash of heavy cream, pinch of salt and 1/4 cup Parmesan in the eggs. I sautéed a large, thinly sliced, unpeeled zucchini (that’s what I was trying to use up) till soft with herbs du provenance in olive oil. Poured egg mixture over zucchini, sprinkled with a bit extra Parmesan, cooked on stove top and then broiled about 4 minutes. Came out perfectly. As soon as asparagus season comes around, I’m making this with a side of hollandaise!
Ollie
"It’s fine to leave the top a little runny (that’s the way they like them in France.)";)
S Frances
Is it safe to put a non-stick skillet under the broiler?
Jeanine
I really appreciate these basic template recipes. Had a bunch of leftovers in the frig, and used this recipe to make a lovely meal for the next 3 nights! I went the feta-on-top, under-the-broiler method. But I can totally see how it could be fun to leave the frittata gooey. And I've learned, in the cooking of it, the difference between a frittata and an omlet: a frittata is an open-faced omelet!
Fast Marty
For a big(ger) frittata, I saute my filling items first, then add the beaten eggs, cook on medium heat for awhile, then finish in a 350 degree oven -- the last minute I run it under the broiler.
Nsteele
You can make a very pretty frittata by arranging some of the filling elements decoratively after you've added the eggs to the pan. You can arrange herbs, bits of goat cheese, squash blossoms, etc. Be creative!
Anne from Philadelphia
Chopped and sauteed onion, zucchini and tomatoes...about 3 cups total. Scrambled six eggs with 3 Tbsp milk, added 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese & vegetables. Heated a 10" nonstick omelet pan with 1 Tbsp oil. Added frittata mixture, lifted edges edges and then cooked covered on low till semi-set; topped with additional parmesan and finished under the broiler. Waited till cool to remove from pan. Cut into triangles; finished with salt and fresh dill and served as an appetizer.
Steve Baldwin
We did this with 8 eggs in a 10" cast iron skillet. We filled it with some onions and garlic sauteed for about 5 minutes and some broccoli and bell peppers lightly steamed. We used a lower temp than recommended as that's what we've always done with omelets and frittatas. We did finish it under the broiler for about a minute and it was still nice and sloppy on top. Great dinner.
Lisa R
I was looking for a quick and easy frittata template, and this was perfect!
Ellen F.
I have a plate that I purchased in Spain that is specifically used to turn a tortilla española (something like a potato frittata). Once one side is well set I simply place the plate on top of the 10 inch skillet and flip the tortilla and then cook the other side. No reason you cannot use any fairly flat plate that fits over your omelette pan and do this with a frittata as well.
Ann Hitchins
It always sticks in the pan... not sure what I'm doing wrong with that. Any thoughts? But delicious!
Micki
I often use left over pizza for the filling. It makes a lovely dish.
Kathryn
I always bake my frittata in a ceramic dish, usually 8 x 13 or thereabouts. A little oil or butter in the bottom. 325 degrees. I use 8 - 10 eggs. 40-45 minutes, until the top is set. EASY cleanup.
Ellen F.
You should probably use a non-stick pan and definitely more than one tablespoon of olive oil.
Gretchen
6 eggs in my 10” mineral steel skillet
Casey DelliCarpini
It would be helpful if an amount were given for the filing.
Lynda H.
I use 4 to 5 cups of lightly cooked vegetables for a 6-egg frittata cooked in a 10-inch skillet. I also like to beat about 1/4 cup grated cheese (such as Parmesan) into the eggs (before adding the vegetables) and sprinkle the top of the frittata with another 1/4 cup grated cheese.
Eleanor
According to the introduction to the recipe, the filling is stirred into the eggs before they are poured into the skillet.
Ana R
When is the filling added ?
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