Italian Frittata
By Siena Terenzio
Updated February 24, 2014
Italian Frittata
Sunday Morning Breakfast From Last Week’s Leftovers
Traditional Italian frittata is easy to prepare and delicious. Favored for its flexibility, it can be eaten for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or anytime! Serve up as an appetizer or as a side at mealtime.
Although in Italy you may not commonly see a Frittata on a restaurant menu, this quintessentially Italian dish is prepared in many homes. Mothers and fathers alike prepare mouthwatering Frittatas from the leftovers. You can add whatever pleases your palate to your Frittata. In some parts of Italy, before serving lunch and dinner a portion of the meal is put aside for this ‘left-over delight’. A Frittata is also the perfect way to convince the kids to try new vegetables.
And remember the ultimate leftover is the Frittata itself; it’s great next day to reheated or used cold in a sandwich!
Not only is Frittata delicious, it is also quite the healthy food. Packed with Mediterranean Superfoods such as eggs and vegetables, it’s a great way to get more protein and nutrients into your diet. Also, you can make vegetarian or meat versions and it’s gluten free.
My grandmother brought the old ways of cooking with whole foods from Italy to the United States. For as long as I can remember my grandmother has always done her best to buy her fruits and vegetables from local farmers markets, or stores that sell the freshest food available. When traveling to Italy, I felt right at home because the cooking was so much like my Grandmothers!
From Sunday morning breakfast to Wednesday afternoon’s lunch, the ‘left-overs’ Frittata has always been a favorite in our family. With all of the natural ingredients in this dish and that special hint of love, my brothers and I have always adored the Frittata. My grandmother passed her recipe down to my mother who occasionally made it for us, and then to me to make for myself in my apartment. Before getting this apartment, my grandmother sat down with me and shared all of her favorite recipes so that I could cook them on my own with that familiar taste of home; the Frittata was on that list.
Click here for a link to the recipe.
Photo Credit: Christine Dutton
LOVE Frittata. Great article.
I enjoy adding different ingredients not only based on leftovers in fridge, but also based on the season. Peas and onions go well. Leftover sausages and some fennel would be great for the winter (along with the staple potato). Spring would be great with some quality pancetta, and broccoli or spinach. Summer- some yellow squash, zucchini. The possibilities are endless. Thanks for such a versatile recipe and for your article!!!
Thank you, Andrea! Those Spring and Summer options sound wonderful. What a perfect way to use the yellow squash and zucchini bounty!