{recipe} Veggie Frittata for One, Plus LeftoversNovember 9th, 2010

Mark Bittman, who I credit with getting me to cook outside the pasta box, featured this recipe a few years back in his Minimalist column in the New York Times. Until the moment I read this, I’d always thought of eggs as breakfast food. Eggs for dinner or even lunch seemed to me to be something that either French people or single people did. But once I started making this dish, I never looked back.

Since I am the only one in my household who likes this dish, I typically eat half and refrigerate the other half for lunch the next day. Pair it with a salad and maybe a glass of wine at dinner, and you’ve got yourself a meal. I also like crunchy bread with it, but then again, I like crunchy bread with everything.

I use a for this primarily because I like to finish this in the oven (rather than on the stove) so I can do something else. Like empty the dishwasher. Or load the dishwasher. You know, important things.

The point of this dish is you can use whatever veggies you have on hand. I stick to onions, asparagus and peas (again, because I love asparagus and peas more than some people I know). I use frozen peas, then I’ll either use fresh asparagus and onion or fresh that I’ve frozen in individual baggies sized for this recipe. I tend to skip the herbs that Bittman calls for, only because it gets this dish into the oven faster, but you could certainly use them; I’m sure it would only improve the dish.

Veggie Frittata

1 tablespoon butter
¼ onion, diced
salt & fresh ground black pepper
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup chopped asparagus, fresh or frozen
4 eggs
¼ cup fresh basil or flat leaf parsley, optional

1. Preheat your oven to 450° F.
2. Melt the butter in an oven proof 8-inch skillet over medium heat. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Add the onion and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes.
4. Add the vegetables and sauté until tender. If using a combination of fresh and frozen vegetables, add the frozen first and sauté for 4-5 minutes. Then, add the fresh vegetables and sauté another 8-10 minutes.
5. While the vegetables cook, beat the eggs and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
6. Add the eggs to the skillet, twisting the skillet (use an oven mitt!) to move the eggs evenly over the vegetables. Add the herbs, if using.
7. Cook the eggs until set, about 8-10 minutes. (It’s okay if they’re still a bit runny on top.)
8. Place the skillet in the oven for another 10-15 minutes until the eggs have cooked and are no longer runny.
9. Slice into quarters and enjoy.

Adapted from a recipe by Mark Bittman.