Frittata al basilico (Fresh Basil Frittata)

Name: Frittata al basilico (Fresh Basil Frittata)
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 6-8 eggs; 25 g 3 Tbs grated pecorino romano; A bunch of basil (leaves only); Salt and pepper; Olive oil; A pinch of red pepper flakes

Frank30 June 2018Abruzzo, secondi piatti35 Comments

Here’s my nomination for the easiest frittata ever: Frittata al basilico, or Fresh Basil Frittata. It is literally simply beaten eggs mixed with a fistful of grated cheese and lots of fresh basil leaves. It’s perhaps my favorite summer frittata, whipped up in 15 minutes or less, full of aromatic flavor and, I would dare say, a lovely sight to behold with its contrasting green and yellow striations on the inside and golden crust outside.

A Fresh Basil Frittata is equally nice as a light main course or, cut into small squares or wedges, small bites to accompany cocktails.

Ingredients

Serves 4 or more as an appetizer, 2 as a main course

6-8 eggs
25 g (3 Tbs) grated pecorino romano
A bunch of basil, leaves only
Salt and pepper
Olive oil

Optional:

A pinch of red pepper flakes

Directions

Beat the eggs in a mixing bowl, add the grated cheese, salt and freshly ground pepper. Then gently fold in the basil leaves, tearing the larger leaves into pieces.

If using using a carbon steel skillet, get it hot over medium-high heat and cover the bottom with olive oil. If using a non-stick skillet, add the oil to the skillet and place it over medium heat. (See Notes for details.)

Add the egg mixture into the hot oil, turn down the heat to medium-low, and proceed following the usual technique for making a frittata, frying one side until the eggs have nearly set and developed a light golden brown crust, then flipping the frittata over and browning the other side as well, until the eggs are fully cooked through. The process will take about 5 minutes for the first side, perhaps 3 minutes for the second, give or take, depending on thickness.

Slide the frittata onto a serving plate. Let it cool a bit (or entirely) before slicing and serving.

Notes on Fresh Basil Frittata

Like all frittatas, this one is best eaten either warm or at room temperature, not scalding hot. A few minutes’ rest to cool before serving improves both flavor and texture.

Cooking time will depend largely on the number of eggs and the size of your skillet. For the rather thin frittata you see in the photos here, I used 7 eggs fried in a medium-sized (26 cm/10 inch) skillet. More eggs or a smaller skillet would produce a bit thicker result. But since basil leaves are not at all bulky, a Fresh Basil Frittata will tend to be rather thinner than say, one filled with potato and sausage.

Variations

You can achieve all sorts of nuanced variations by subbing ingredients and adjusting measurements. You could make a “sweet” version of a frittata al basilico by subbing Parmesan for the pecorino and butter for the olive oil. By contrast, that pinch of red pepper flakes would add an extra kick to the already piquant pecorino. Recipes vary on the amount of cheese, from a couple of spoonfuls as here—where the cheese plays a supporting role—to quantities so large that the cheese rises to “co star”. And in one very common variation, cherry tomatoes, cut in half, are added to the egg mixture, either as is or lightly sautéed with onion just until they begin to soften. In this case your frittata al basilico will become a frittata con pomodoro e basilico. If you want to something more substantial, some sautéed crumbled sausage or pancetta would do the trick.

I like to keep the basil leaves whole, tearing only the very largest leaves into pieces. But some recipes have you tear or cut the leaves into small pieces—or even shred them. I suppose the idea is the flavor will more evenly diffuse into the egg. Personally, I like more variation in my food. Some bites will be full of basil, others will have just a hint.

Carbon Steel vs Non-Stick Skillets

Non-stick skillets are wonderful for making frittatas and other egg dishes. Eggs are sticky things and you risk a real mess if you try to cook them in a regular stainless steel pan. (Poached eggs would be the exception of course…) They’re also a breeze to clean. But non-stick skillets do have their drawbacks. For one, sooner or later they lose their non-stick qualities, often within a year of purchase—which is why I have stopped buying expensive non-stick cookware. And there are questions about the health risks of non-stick cookware, especially Teflon.

Although I still cook with non-stick, for some jobs I turn to carbon steel skillets instead. Carbon steel is the same material traditional woks are made of and, like woks, after an initial seasoning and with regular maintenance and use, over time they develop an virtually non-stick patina, perfect for eggs. And what’s more, they’re superb for high-temperature searing, as good in my opinion as cast iron and yet much lighter. The main thing is, you need to remember to heat the skillet over high heat until very hot before you start cooking. Once the skillet is hot, you add your cooking fat, swirl the skillet around to let the fat cover its surface, then adjust the heat to your desired temperature and add your ingredients. (By contrast, you should never leave a non-stick skillet over heat for any length of time without something in it.)

Besides eggs and similar dishes like pancakes, carbon steel is wonderful for high-heat cooking like searing meats, just as good in my opinion as cast iron.

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