Vegetarian Frittata with Sweet Tomatoes, Mushrooms and Fontina

Mary Anne here. For breakfast lunch or dinner, this filling frittata makes a delicious, healthy, and satisfying meal using whatever is leftover in the fridge. The following recipe utilized mushrooms, spinach and part of an onion that were in quantities too small to be useful for much of anything else.

More than ever, I am pretty reluctant to throw anything away. I used to accuse my pack-rat mother-in-law of having a “Depression Mentality”. Now I get it!

Anyway, if you have left over slices of meat, small pieces of cheese, and just about any kind of vegetable, especially potatoes, all you need are a few eggs to create a great meal in under 30 minutes. Additionally, frittatas are great hot or at room temperature. They also work well as an hors d’oeurve and can be prepared one or two days before.

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Vegetarian Frittata
Serves 6

*You will need a 10” to 12” ovenproof skillet.

Ingredients:
8 whole eggs – stock
3 Tablespoons olive oil, divided – stock
1 Tablespoon unsalted butter – stock
2 cups onion, coarsely chopped – $0.83
2 teaspoons minced garlic – stock
2 cups (1 pint) cherry or grape tomatoes, halved – $2.50
8 cups spinach, rinsed but not dried – $2.88
2 cups mushroom slices – $1.25
1 teaspoon dried Basil – stock
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste – stock
¾ cup grated cheese (I used Fontina because that’s what was in the fridge) – $3.00
Grand Total Assuming Well-Stocked Kitchen: $10.46
Cost per Serving: $1.74

Directions:
1.Heat 1 Tablespoon of olive oil in the skillet. Add onion and sauté until soft and translucent, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and sauté another 5 minutes. Transfer all to a medium-large bowl and set aside.

2. Add 1 Tablespoon plus the butter to same skillet and heat. Sauté mushrooms over medium-high flame, stirring frequently, until soft and golden, about 8 minutes. Transfer to the bowl with the onions.

3.To the same pan add more oil if needed and sauté the tomato halves until they begin to brown and their skins split: about 4-5 minutes. Transfer to the bowl.

4. Sauté the spinach quickly, stirring constantly. This takes less than 3 minutes and 8 cups instantly becomes a small handful! Before transferring to the rest of the veggies, squeeze out the excess water in the spinach by placing in a small strainer and pressing with the back of a spoon. It doesn’t have to be bone dry. Chop it up if you like before adding it to the mix.
*Note: Can be prepared the day before up to this point if you like your eggs hot.

5. Pre-heat Broiler

6.Wipe the inside of your skillet with a paper towel if the spinach left any moisture. Pour the remaining oil into the bottom and sides of the pan, spreading evenly. (You can also use a cooking spray here, but be sure to coat thoroughly so the frittata slips out easily onto your serving plate.)

7. In a medium bowl, whip the eggs with a wire whisk or table fork until foamy. Stir in the Basil and salt and pepper.

8. Over medium-high flame, heat the oil, testing by sprinkling water across the top. It should hiss at you, but no smoking. Pour the vegetable mixture in first and spread evenly along the bottom of the pan.

9. Pour the beaten eggs over top, shifting and tilting the pan to spread evenly. As the egg mixture begins to cook on the bottom, lift the edges with a spatula to allow the uncooked egg to flow underneath. Continue in this fashion for about 3 minutes. The top center will still be moist.

10. Sprinkle grated cheese over the frittata. Place the frittata in the skillet 6 inches under the broiler. Broil for 5 minutes until cheese melts and top is golden.

11. Allow to rest for 5 minutes. Loosen the edges of the frittata with a spatula and slide onto a serving platter. Alternatively, if sliding the whole thing makes you nervous, just cut it into wedges while still in the pan and transfer to a plate!