Frittata of Zucchini and Tomato Confit
- Cuisine: Italian
- Course: Main Course
- Features: Meatless, Fast, Gluten-Free
Summary:
For a light but satisfying supper, a frittata hits the spot. Anything you could put into a French omelet -- asparagus, leeks, cheese -- can go into the Italian version of an omelet. One difference is that frittata ingredients are sauteed and then cooked with the eggs, rather than folded into the cooked eggs. Plus, several servings can be made at once.
This version gets its hearty Mediterranean flavor from tomato confit, zucchini and oil-cured black olives (the olives are optional but add a rustic, salty edge). The recipe called for cooking the frittata entirely in the pan and inverting it twice, but we found that finishing it in the oven and inverting it once ensures that it is cooked evenly -- and that it stays intact. Serve with a green salad and crusty bread.
4 servings
Ingredients:
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded and quartered
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- Pinch white ground pepper
- 4 sprigs thyme
- 1 large bay leaf
- 4 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch rounds
- 9 large eggs
- Salt
- Coarsely crushed black pepper
- 16 oil-cured black olives, pitted (optional)
- 2 tablespoons shredded flat-leaf parsley
Directions:
Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
In a small pan, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium-low heat. Add the tomatoes, garlic, white pepper, 2 whole sprigs of thyme and the bay leaf. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 12 minutes or until the tomatoes are tender but not soft (the riper the tomatoes, the less time it will take). Discard the bay leaf.
In the meantime, lightly beat the eggs in a large bowl and season sparingly with salt and pepper. Set aside.
In a large nonstick, ovenproof skillet, heat the 1 remaining tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat. Add the zucchini and cook, stirring, until softened and lightly browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the tomato confit, chopped thyme leaves from the 2 remaining sprigs and olives, if desired, and stir. When everything is hot, pour in the eggs and reduce the heat to medium. As the edges become cooked, gently pull back the cooked eggs from the edge with a spatula and tilt the pan so any uncooked egg can run into the cleared area. When the eggs are mostly set but still moist on top, 2 to 3 minutes, transfer the skillet to the oven. Bake until the top is set and dry to the touch, about 3 minutes.
To serve, run a spatula around the skillet edge to loosen the frittata. Invert it onto a serving platter and scatter the parsley over the top. Serve warm, at room temperature or chilled.
Recipe Source:
Adapted from "Eggs," by Michel Roux (Wiley & Sons, 2006).
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