Real Men Eat Frittatas

I have a colleague who is fit as a fiddle and eats 12 eggs a week. No kidding. His cholesterol is spot-on and he’s convinced too much is made about the dangers of eggs, and not enough of their value. I couldn’t agree more.

In fact, leading journals such as the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) have published studies concluding that moderate consumption of eggs (6 per week) results in no observable cholesterol level increases. Remember when butter was shunned? Eat margarine, they said.

I’m not saying we should eat whatever we want. But we don’t yet fully understand the relationships between cholesterol, DNA and diet. The French do just great; stick to basics of moderation, variety and balance, and get regular exercise.

And enjoy an egg once in a while!

Omelets and their cousins, frittatas, are great ways to enjoy the wonders of eggs. But there’s considerable confusion around the omelet and the frittata – think omelet on steroids. The French lay claim to the omelet and the Italians the frittata, but I have read the Romans actually invented the omelet. Apparently it’s not Spanish because there are no double t’s in Spanish – is that right? Who knows? The Chinese invented pasta, right? Whatever.

I finish my frittatas in the oven. They can be served hot or cooled off, so they’re great for appetizers or picnics. Omelets are much more delicate and should be eaten immediately. The big thing to learn with the omelet is the folding while cooking – pulling in the cooked egg to the center and letting the runny egg fill in the empty space (see photo). Pick up the pan in one hand to roll it to let the runny egg flow. You should be making lots of delicate folds.

Of course there are zillions of variations – here are a few just to get the hang of it. After that, go wild.



Frittata of Mushroom, Spinach and Ham

1 yellow new potato, peeled and diced ¼ inch
10-oz sliced mushrooms
12 grape tomatoes, sliced in half lengthwise
8 eggs
¼ cup half-and-half
1 pkg. frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
½ cup diced ham
¼ lb. sharp cheddar cheese, grated

Cook the potato in boiling, salted water just until soft. Drain and set aside. Meanwhile, sauté mushrooms in a bit of olive oil in a large oven-going non-stick skillet until well browned. Set aside. Sear grape tomatoes over high heat in a bit of olive oil in same skillet, cut side down, just until browned. Set aside.

Preheat the broiler. Beat together the eggs and half-and-half. Salt and pepper to taste. Heat the non-stick skillet with a bit of olive oil just until smoking and pour in half the eggs. After about 30 seconds, pull the eggs in towards the center as they cook, tilting the pan to let uncooked egg run back onto the pan exposed. Do this several times as the egg begins to set, to form delicate folds with the egg.

As the eggs begin to set, scatter the mushrooms, spinach, ham and potato over the top and pour on the remaining eggs. Top with cheese and the tomatoes. Cook a few more minutes over moderate heat until the eggs set, and then place under the broiler to finish the eggs and melt the cheese.

Loosen frittata with a soft spatula and gently slide onto a platter.


Frittata of Caramelized Onion and Roasted Butternut Squash

2 cups butternut squash, peeled and diced to ¼-inch (about ½ a medium squash)
2 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 purple Burmuda onion, cut in half and thinly sliced
3 shallots, diced
1 tsp. sugar
8 eggs
¼ cup half-and-half
Dash freshly grated nutmeg
¼ lb. Muenster or Provolone cheese, grated
2 Tbsp. chives, minced

Preheat oven to 450F. Toss squash with enough olive oil just to coat. Salt and pepper to taste. Scatter squash onto a large jelly-roll baking pan and roast in oven for about 15 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the squash sizzles and begins to brown. Remove from oven and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat oil and butter in a large, oven-going non-stick skillet. Sauté onion, shallot and sugar for at least 10-15 minutes over medium heat, until the onions begin to caramelize. Remove onions from pan and set aside.

Preheat broiler. Beat together the eggs, half-and-half and nutmeg. Salt and pepper to taste. Heat the non-stick skillet with a bit of olive oil just until smoking and pour in half the eggs. After about 30 seconds, pull the eggs in towards the center as they cook, tilting the pan to let uncooked egg run back onto the pan exposed. Do this several times as the egg begins to set, to form delicate folds with the egg.

As the eggs begin to set, scatter the squash and onions over the top and pour on the remaining eggs. Top with cheese and the chives. Cook a few more minutes over moderate heat until the eggs set, and then place under the broiler to finish the eggs and melt the cheese.

Loosen frittata with a soft spatula and gently slide onto a platter.