When I make a frittata, I really get into it. The more interesting ingredients, the better. Today’s frittata isn’t nearly as interesting as some of what I’ve prepared in the past, but it’s simplicity is what sets it apart. With a total of seven ingredients, including the oil, salt, and pepper, I’d say there’s not much to it. I think it’s the combination of flavors that matters most.
The Recipe
There’s the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Then there are the eggs. Those are staples in any frittata. On top of those ingredients, this recipe calls for courgettes (zucchini), bacon or Parma ham, and basil or parsley. For those who aren’t familiar with the word courgette, it’s what the English call zucchini or baby marrow; a summer squash. And for those who aren’t familiar with Parma ham, it’s basically a very thinly sliced ham. It’s a type of prosciutto; an Italian uncooked, unsmoked, and dry-cured ham. The only difference between regular prosciutto and Parma ham is that Parma ham is a type of prosciutto that comes from the Parma region of Italy.
For some of us, Parma ham may be challenging to find. If that’s the case, you can simply use regular prosciutto. And if you can’t find that, use bacon or sliced ham from the deli. Obviously there’s a difference between bacon and this type of ham, but sometimes you have to do what you have to do. I prepared this dish using bacon and I didn’t have any complaints. If I were to stick to Mary Berry’s recipe precisely, then I would have gone with the ham.
Also, I’d like to take a moment to thank the aforementioned Mary Barry for this recipe. It’s another great from her Complete Cookbook that I enjoyed immensely. So easy, yet so good.
Ingredients
Serves 8
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
4 Medium Sized Zucchini, Sliced Thinly in Rounds
12 Large Eggs
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1/4 Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
6 Ounces Parma Ham or Thinly Sliced Bacon, Cut into 1″ Pieces
Handful of Fresh Basil or Flat Leaf Parsley, Chopped
Fry the Zucchini & Bacon
Using a large (I used a 12″ cast iron) skillet, add the olive oil and the sliced zucchini. Warm the pan over medium heat on your stovetop and cook the zucchini for about 5-10 minutes or until slightly colored and somewhat soft.
In a separate smaller skillet, add the bacon and warm over medium heat. Cook for about 10 minutes or until the bacon is just about cooked.
When the bacon is finished, add 3/4 of it to the zucchini skillet and mix everything well. Keep the remaining bacon pieces in reserve for later.
Add the Eggs
Break the dozen eggs into a medium sized bowl.
Add the salt and pepper to the bowl and whisk the eggs well. Then, pour the eggs into the large skillet that contains the zucchini and bacon. Gently lift the zucchini with a fork so it’s not buried under all those eggs.
Cook the Frittata
Keeping the heat at medium, allow the ingredients in the skillet to cook for about five minutes. The goal here is to cook the eggs from the bottom up so they’re about 3/4 the way complete. While cooking, turn on your oven’s broiler to low.
At this point, sprinkle the remaining bacon pieces across the top of the frittata and place the skillet on the top positioned rack of your oven. Allow to cook for a few minutes until the eggs are slightly browned on top. When finished, remove the skillet from the oven and turn off the heat.
Plate & Serve
Finally, sprinkle the parsley on top of the frittata, cut into pieces, and serve. Enjoy!
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