Hello Frittata...There's Something Different About You

Good evening everyone!  As seasoned followers of the blog know, the one recipe I'm bound by destiny to come back to again and again is the Frittata.  There are just so many variations of this simple egg dish, I'm sure I could create a whole blog about it (but then it would boring, making frittata after frittata, so I'm sure it would get old quick.)  Tonight, I'm taking on another frittata recipe, but this one has a brand new element that I haven't tried before.  It's not the ingredients in the frittata, but what's on the outside that I'm switching up.  It's my unique spin on a egg sandwich, that is actually quite healthy for you.


The Recipe:  Three Cheese and Herb Frittata Sandwiches
Original Recipe Found In:  Food & Wine Magazine, February 2013
(Serves 6)

What You'll Need:

2 Tablespoons unsalted Butter
2 Tablespoons Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
2 small Onions, finely chopped
1/2 Teaspoon finely chopped Thyme
Pinch of crushed Red Pepper
1 Bay Leaf
10 Large Eggs
4 Ounces fresh Goat Cheese, crumbled
1/2 Cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1/3 Cup finely chopped Parsley
1/3 Cup finely chopped Chives
3 Ounces Gruyere cheese, shredded
3 Cups Baby Spinach
6 Slices Whole Wheat Toast
12 thin slices of Prosciutto

Optional:
2 medium tomatoes, thinly sliced
12 large Basil leaves, torn


To start, preheat the oven to 475 degrees.  In a large ovenproof nonstick skillet, begin to melt the butter in the olive oil over medium heat.  Once the butter is melted, add the onion, thyme, crushed red peppers, bay leaf, and an oversized sprinkling of salt and pepper.  Cover the skillet and cook this combination for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally and until the onions are very soft.  Once this is done cooking, uncover and discard the bay leaf.

While the onions are cooking, in a large bowl, whisk all the eggs together.  Then, stir in the crumbled goat cheese, Parmigiano-Reggiano, parsley, chives, 1/2 cup of the Gruyere, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper.  When this mixture is completely combined, slowly pour it in the slightly cooled skillet.  Next, gently stir to mix all the ingredients together, and cook on the stovetop over moderately low heat, until the eggs start to set, about five minutes.  You won't want the heat set too high because the eggs will cook immediately, nor do you want it too low or the eggs won't set.

Sprinkle the frittata with the remainder of the Gruyere cheese and transfer the skillet to the oven.  Bake the frittata in the oven for 8 to 10 minutes, until the center has just set and is completely cooked through.  Next, run a rubber spatula around the edge of the frittata and gently slide it onto a cutting board.  Let it cool slightly and cut it into six pieces.

After the frittata has cooked, you can begin to assemble your sandwich:  On top of one piece of toast, place a slice of prosciutto, a slice of frittata, a bed of spinach leaves (tomatoes and basil, if you are using them.)  Serve and enjoy!

The End Result:

This recipe had so many things going for it.  First of all, if it wasn't for the toast to even all these flavors out, this would have had one powerful bite.  The herbs and the cheese completely overtake the frittata, yet gave it a good melty, yet earthy flavor.  The spinach also helps to even out the flavor invasion, providing a cool layer between everything.  The prosciutto, still kinda cool from the refrigeration, was a stark contrast between the warmth of the frittata, but the meaty element from the prosciutto was needed in the sandwich.

The original recipe called for this sandwich to be constructed between two layers of bagels.  While the idea is great, we wanted to omit this big bite of caloric intake.  Not only were the two pieces of toast way under what the bagel would have been for calories, but this sandwich was only 270 calories.  This dish is way less than any takeout egg sandwich would be.  Overall, a great dish, if you're in the mood for something unique and very tasty.

That's all we have for you tonight.  Join us tomorrow as Tyler creates a brand new dish to share.  Until then,

~Cheers!