Frittata Primavera

This moist tasty frittata is made with an abundance of spring greens from my local Community Vegetable Garden. I’d intended to use mostly silverbeet (Swiss chard) but ended up using a variety of greens including baby rainbow silverbeet, baby rocket, Italian parsley leaves and red-veined sorrel. I also threw in a few poppy leaves, having been told by a Greek friend that her mother uses poppy leaves in her horta mix for spanakopita.  I also experimented by throwing in a few young borage leaves as one of the volunteers, an Italian woman, told me that borage leaves are often mixed with ricotta as a filling for ciaffagnoni  – the leaves are quite furry so make sure you use young leaves and blanch them in salted water for a few minutes before using.

Inroduction

About this Recipe

By: Sheridan Rogers

This moist tasty frittata is made with an abundance of spring greens from my local Community Vegetable Garden. I’d intended to use mostly silverbeet (Swiss chard) but ended up using a variety of greens including baby rainbow silverbeet, baby rocket, Italian parsley leaves and red-veined sorrel. I also threw in a few poppy leaves, having been told by a Greek friend that her mother uses poppy leaves in her horta mix for spanakopita.  I also experimented by throwing in a few young borage leaves as one of the volunteers, an Italian woman, told me that borage leaves are often mixed with ricotta as a filling for ciaffagnoni  – the leaves are quite furry so make sure you use young leaves and blanch them in salted water for a few minutes before using.

Ingredients

  • olive oil 2 tablespoons
  • butter 30g
  • onions 2, finely chopped
  • garlic 1 clove, crushed
  • mixed green leaves (such as silverbeet, sorrel, Italian parsley, poppy leaves, rocket) 200g, washed, dried and finely chopped
  • asparagus 1 bunch, trimmed , cut in 3cm lengths and steamed for 2 minutes
  • free range or organic eggs 6
  • water 1 tablespoon
  • fresh dill a good handful, finely chopped
  • freshly grated parmesan 40g
  • fetta cheese 60g, crumbled
  • salt and freshly cracked pepper

Heat the oil and butter in a medium ovenproof frying pan (about 22cm diameter) and cook the onion and garlic over low-moderate heat until soft and translucent – it helps to add a little water so that the onion doesn’t burn. Turn up the heat and add the chopped greens. Toss and turn with a pair of tongs until they’ve wilted and any excess water has evaporated. Lay the prepared cooked asparagus over the top in decorative pattern. Beat the eggs together with the water, chopped dill and half the cheeses.  Season to taste, remembering that the cheeses are salty.  Pour egg mixture carefully over the greens and top with remaining cheeses. Cook over low heat for about 15 – 20 minutes or until the eggs are set – a simmer pad is useful to prevent the pan sticking or burning.  Brown the top under a hot grill.  Remove from grill and leave for 10 minutes before cutting into wedges.  Excellent served warm with crusty bread and a tomato and basil salad. Or take it with you on a picnic.