A Tale of Two Frittatas


As any mom of grown children will tell you, it tugs at our heartstrings when the phone rings and you are asked for an old family recipe. This happened to me shortly after the New Year when Antonia called and asked for the recipe for frittata. No problem. Dug into a box I have full of old recipes and shortly found the simple but delicious recipe for frittata given to me (it says on the card) by old friend Kathy back in 1972. Yep. (This made Antonia giggle.) This is the kind of recipe that is a teeny bit of a departure from my normal food practices as it calls for Bisquick (gasp!), but a bit of Bisquick for a good recipe is worth the slight veering from purely organic fresh local product. This recipe has always been well met by guests, and that’s precisely what Antonia had in mind. (She reported later it was a big success!) So, I thought, why not? Let’s share this treasure, as not only is it tasty, it is quick, reliable and failproof. It’s also full of fresh local organic ingredients. So here goes!

Hall House Frittata

5 eggs
5 cups chopped zucchini
1 1/2 C. Bisquick
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped fine
1/2 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
salt, pepper, parsley

You can use your imagination and preferences and add bits of roasted red peppers, or calamata olives. Last time I made it I used fresh oregano from my winter garden instead of parsley, which was a good choice. But the above is your basic template.

Beat five eggs slightly. Add the above ingredients to the eggs. Pour into a cast iron skillet, into which you have poured 1/4 cup olive oil. Bake in your oven at 350°F. for 45 minutes.

I told you it was easy!

Then, about a week later, synchronistically, my friend Andy Carvin, who works for NPR, posted a gorgeous pic on Twitter of a frittata he had just made for his family! So I immediately wrote and asked him for a recipe, and he graciously responded with a link. So here’s how Andy makes frittata. But first the pic! This looks delicious!

The Perfect Frittata

1 16oz container of Egg Beaters
2 tablespoons evaporated milk
1/2 cup chopped roasted red peppers
1/2 cup chopped artichoke hearts
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
1/4 cup crumbled feta
1/4 cup crumbled bleu cheese
8 kalamata olives
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to broil. In a 10-inch nonstick pan, spray some cooking spray and turn the heat to high. Mix the egg beaters and the evaporated milk, and pour into the pan once it’s sufficiently heated. Leave at high for a minute or two until the bottom of the egg mixture starts to brown, then turn it down to medium high. Using a spatula, carefully lift up the corners of the cooked eggs to allow the liquid egg mixture to run off the top and under it. Do this a few times over a couple more minutes until you’ve sufficiently drained the uncooked egg from the top. It’ll still be very moist on top, but there shouldn’t be puddles of uncooked egg any more.
Turn off the heat. Take the various cheeses and spread them evenly on top. Then spread the red peppers and artichoke hearts. Take the eight olives and spread them evenly so when you cut the frittata into four pieces, each piece will have two olives. Add a dash of salt and pepper. Place the frittata pan under a broiler for three or four minutes, depending on how brown you want it on top. Anything more than four minutes will probably burn it, so be careful. The frittata should rise to double its size, almost like a souffle. Wearing oven mitts, remove the pan from the oven and allow it to rest for one minute. Use the spatula to slice the frittata into four pieces. Serves two people. It goes well on its own but it’s also good with some cottage cheese on the side.

And here’s a postscript from Andy about the Egg Beaters:

Note about those Egg Beaters: Yes, you can substitute eight eggs for the Egg Beaters, but that adds up to a lot of extra calories. And for whatever reason, when I’ve done it using real eggs, the frittata doesn’t rise like a souffle as much.

I hope you enjoy these two variations of the classic frittata! Feel free to play with your options, and come up with your own perfect recipe for you and your family. We on the West Coast are experiencing a spell of very cold weather, so any excuse to fire up the oven is welcomed. The prospect of a lovely frittata makes it all worth while.

Love and winter blessings,
Kathryn xoxo

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14 Responses to “A Tale of Two Frittatas”

  1. Yum! They both look great. And, the family recipe was a huge success when I made it for friends. Definitely glad you’ve held onto it over the years. 🙂

    Love you,
    Antonia
    xoxo

  2. Hi, Antonia, Me, too! Glad your friends enjoyed! Love, Mom xoxo

  3. I am SO into recipes this morning…thank you, Kathryn (& Antonia & Andy)….this is going into my file asap…and will be shared, as well.

    P.S. food seems to be a big concern, possibly cause I have yet to have breakfast. You think? ((: )

  4. Hi, Marlene! Glad you are appreciating the recipes! I think hunger plays a role, and so does the cold winter weather we are having! Fire up the oven and enjoy! Kathryn xoxo

  5. These both look delicious, and the recipe you provided looks easy to follow with good tips. I like a frittata with a simple butter leaf lettuce salad. if you do not use crumbled blue cheese in the frittata, it is a nice addition with the salad, with a vinaigrette ( I use Julia Child’s recipe for vinaigrette). I like the tangy vinaigrette taste with the frittata on the side.

    I think the passing on of family recipes is a wonderful thing -the tastes of memory , traditions and home. xx

  6. Good morning, Philip! Crumbled blue cheese sounds like a very good choice for frittata! I will try that. And the simple butter leaf lettuce salad is an excellent idea. I will check out Julia Child’s recipe. Thank you! I have her books. Hugs! Kathryn xoxo

  7. They both look fabulous and I love how many things are synchronistic. gail

  8. Hi, Gail and welcome. Yes, synchronicity is the best! As you (may) know I call it “following the psychic breadcrumbs”. 🙂 Kathryn xoxo

  9. Love frittatas. They are wholesome and good. We’ve made many different kinds over the years including one that actually had leftover spaghetti noodles in it. In the 1970s everything was Bisquick it seems. Hamburger Helper, Rice a Roni and Chef Boyardee were all part of my crazy childhood. Thanks for the memories.~~Dee

  10. Good morning, Dee! Thanks for the visit. Glad you enjoyed the post! In the 70’s I was even more extreme than I am now: baking my own bread, making yogurt, eating rice and veggies. But my childhood has a corresponding menu, so I can relate! 🙂
    Kathryn xoxo

  11. We have frittatas on a regular basis, but the contents vary hugely depending on what’s in the fridge! Some have been wonderful but unrepeatable as I usually forget what I threw in!

    What on earth are Egg Beaters?

  12. Hi, Liz, That sounds like a good way to go! I will have to try that. 🙂 As for Egg Beaters–never had one in my life. Apparently they are a commercially produced version of egg whites. I’ve never joined the Egg White Trend, but there is a following. 🙂 Kathryn xoxo

  13. I’ll try this recipe in the morning, hopefully so delicious

  14. Hi, Andy and welcome! Enjoy! Kathryn xoxo

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