I like to say it like that. "Frittata!" Ideally, with Jazz Hands. Why? Couldn't really tell ya.
A frittata (Fritatta!) is an egg dish, sort of like a quiche without the crust. Think of it as a casserole made with eggs instead of pasta. As such, it's ideally suited for a low-carb, high-protein diet. And since it takes a lot of eggs, it's perfect for those of us who own pet chickens. I'm besieged with eggs right now, which is why I started researching frittatas!
Like a quiche, you can put just about anything in a frittata. So thrifty! This is a great way to use up those odds and ends: that last little wedge of cheese that's quietly solidifying, the deli meat you won't be able to sandwich up before it goes bad, the vegetables either cooked or raw, either fresh or pushing past their prime.
I think of dishes like these as a kind of game. What do I have that I could use in a frittata? Going to the store to buy ingredients for a frittata seems like cheating. Although, begrudgingly, if you had a specific idea for a frittata that sounded really good, then I guess you could do that.
Unlike a quiche, you don't need to futz about with a crust. Even though I'm capable of making crust by hand, I prefer not to. And sometimes even those "unwrap and roll out" pre-made crusts are just too much trouble. Plus, the empty calories.
Perhaps the best aspect of the frittata is that it's almost impossible to screw up. I say that as someone who, believe me, is capable of screwing up almost any dish. This is a forgiving dish, one which even the inexperienced cook can make on the stovetop just by cooking until it looks done. Once the egg is set (no longer runny) and the edges are browned, you're done!
The basic procedure for a frittata is to cook all your add-ins, then assemble it, whisk the eggs and pour them over the filling, and cook it. How you cook it will depend on the type and volume of ingredients, and what sort of frittata you want to make.
Alton Brown has a super-quick recipe for an omelet style frittata. He has you put the filling in a pan, add the whipped eggs, cook it on the stovetop for a few minutes, then stick it under the broiler for a few minutes. (This style of frittata can also be flipped in the pan, if you prefer, and if you have the dexterity.) Alton's frittata is quick and off-the-cuff, perfect for a Sunday morning brunch or a weeknight dinner.
Joy the Baker has a frittata on the extreme opposite end of the spectrum. This is a multi-stage affair that starts with fresh ingredients, and ends with baking in the oven for half an hour twice. Joy's frittata is the casserole style, which turns out thick and creamy and hearty. This is a wonderful dish to bake for an early Sunday dinner, especially on a cold winter weekend!
Creative Commons-licensed image courtesy of Flickr user cobalt123