In Italy, the frittata is a classic dish; and that may be the only thing that everyone will agree to when describing it. The name traces back to the Latin, friggere, to fry, or fritt, to fuse together, also a derivative of friggere. In Sicily, the dish is known as frocia.
Definition of Frittata
A frittata is a firm, round egg dish that is fried in a pan. Numerous combinations of vegetables, herbs, meats, and cheeses can be added. In The Classic Italian Cookbook, noted Italian cook and author Marcella Hazan describes a frittata as “cooked over very low heat” … “firm and set,” and “flat and perfectly round.” In contrasting a frittata to an omelet, Hazen describes an omelet as “cooked very briefly over high heat” … “creamy and moist,” and “rolled or folded.” The cooking method, texture, and shape of an omelet are quite different from a frittata.
In his book The Fine Art of Italian Cooking, acclaimed cooking instructor and author Giuliano Bugialli writes, “There is no translation of frittata that conveys what it is. They are not omelets, which are really closer to egg crespelle … .” The word omelet descends from the Latin word lamella, meaning thin plate. Crespelle is the Italian word for crêpe, which can also be described as a thin plate, except the Italian crepe is thicker than the French crêpe.
Various Ways to Cook a Frittata
Some recipes call for partially cooking the frittata ingredients, adding the beaten eggs and cheese mixture, cooking until set and then browning under a flame in the oven. Other recipes offer a similar method, except the frittata is flipped over to brown in the pan on the stovetop. Variations include partially cooking the beaten eggs, adding ingredients, then flipping; and mixing the ingredients into the beaten egg mixture and cooking, then flipping.
An Easier Way to Cook a Frittata
The recipe below follows the method of cooking the frittata ingredients, and then adding the egg-cheese mixture. The differences are that the egg-cheese mixture includes some yogurt to soften the texture of the frittata, and the frittata finishes cooking on the stovetop with a lid placed over the pan. The lid keeps in moisture, causing the bottom of the frittata to brown, but the top to set.
Recipe for Zucchini Frittata
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- ¼ to ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 3 large zucchini (about 2 pounds), sliced into ¼-inch pieces
- ¾ cup non-fat plain yogurt
- 8 large eggs
- ¾ cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
- ½ cup chopped Italian parsley leaves (optional)
Directions:
- Pour olive oil into a large skillet and sauté garlic and pepper flakes over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until fragrant. Add zucchini, and cook, stirring often, until zucchini is lightly browned.
- In a large bowl, blend yogurt with 2 eggs until mixture is smooth. Add remaining eggs, two at a time, blending well after each addition. Stir in cheese.
- When zucchini has browned, spread evenly in pan, and slowly pour egg mixture evenly over zucchini. Reduce heat to medium, cover, and cook 12 minutes or until center is firm.
- Turn off heat and let frittata sit, covered, for a few minutes. Slide dull knife around edge of frittata to loosen from skillet. Cut into wedges and remove from pan with a metal spatula. If desired, sprinkle with parsley. Serves 4 to 8.
More About Zucchini
Zucchini is easily grown in the garden, and the blossoms can also be used in recipes.
Sources
- The Classic Italian Cookbook, Marcella Hazan
- The Fine Art of Italian Cooking, Giuliano Bugialli
- The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
- The Random House Dictionary 2009
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