Recipe Resolution; A Culinary Adventure: Potato, Red Onion and Feta Frittata

Photo Courtesy of Brad Lovejoy

I set out this morning to find a recipe in my new vegetarian cookbook that didn't involve soup or pasta. These are two of my favorite foods so I tend to gravitate toward them to the tune of about 40 percent of the dishes I prepare. I was fortunate to happen upon a fabulous vegetarian cookbook last week at my favorite local used bookstore, Leisure Books, so I decided to peruse the book to see what I could see. I found a recipe for this Potato, Red Onion and Feta Frittata and decided to move forward. The only aspect of the recipe that surprised me is that it doesn't include any herbs or greens. This made my decision for a side dish fairly easy; it needed to be a leafy green. I was craving fresh spinach and Metropolitan Market was offering bunches of lovely, locally grown organic spinach. I also found organic Rainbow Baby Potatoes (purple, red and white; aren't they gorgeous?) and fresh all-natural Feta that were perfect for the frittata.

Photo Courtesy of Brad Lovejoy

Ingredients:

1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil

1 red onion, sliced

12-ounces cooked new potatoes, halved or quartered if large

6 eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup fresh feta cheese, diced

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat oil in large, heavy-bottom flameproof frying pan. Add onion and saute for 5 minutes until softened, stirring occasionally. Add potatoes and cook for 5 minutes or more, until golden, stirring to prevent sticking. Spread mixture evenly over base of pan.

Preheat broiler to high. Season beaten eggs, then pour mixture over potato and onion mixture. Sprinkle cheese on top and cook over moderate heat for 5 to 6 minutes until eggs are just set and base of frittata is golden.

Photos Courtesy of Brad Lovejoy

Place pan under broiler and cook top for 3 minutes until lightly golden. Serve frittata warm or cold, cut into wedges.

I haven't yet mentioned that Brad does not necessarily prefer frittatas. He has become an almost non-egg eater since he began eating less meat so I knew making this dinner was a risk. It paid off however, because Brad loved this dish. He joined the clean plate club with his first serving and went back for more. I was fond of this dish as well. The Feta was wonderfully dry and salty, and the potatoes were cooked to the perfect consistency; although I chose to go about cooking them differently than instructed. Because my potatoes were quite small, I simply cut them into halves or thirds and then did not precook them prior to adding them to the onions. I then sauteed the potatoes for 12 minutes instead of 5, which worked well.

The only other adjustment I made to the recipe was to cook the frittata on moderate heat for 3 minutes before putting it under the broiler. I found that the eggs set rather quickly and the bottom was already golden brown after 3 minutes. I then broiled the frittata for 3 minutes, per the recipe, and it was done to perfection. The spinach was lightly sauteed in 3/4 tablespoon of olive oil with a pinch of kosher salt. I also served dinner with orange slices (mostly because we all have colds so I I thought we could use some Vitamin C) but also because it added a fresh and bright element to the meal. I would absolutely prepare this recipe again for dinner or for brunch. If you like a little bit of spice with your egg dishes, try a splash of Cholula Hot Sauce.