My very first frittata was from Mark Bittman’s award-winning cookbook How to Cook Everything (copyright John Wiley & Sons, 1998). My kids loved the cheddar cheese, bacon and apple version. These days I riff on that original recipe, changing up the cheese and meats, adding different vegetables depending on the season, my mood and what’s in the fridge that needs to be used up.
This seems to be the time of year when many of us are trying to clean up our eating act so this is a dish that may help a bit. This particular version of frittata is keto-friendly, which means it has fat and protein and is low in carbohydrates. If you prefer no meat or don’t want the fat of the bacon, simply leave it out or replace it with chopped cooked chicken or turkey or add extra mushrooms and spinach.
I encourage you to experiment and use what you have on hand. Red peppers, kale, onion, chopped apples, broccoli, etc. are all good frittata ingredients. Open up that crisper drawer and get creative!
Make sure the skillet you use is ovenproof (I prefer cast iron but not everyone has a big cast iron skillet so anything ovenproof will work). Also, make sure the skillet is totally oiled or buttered before adding the egg mixture. You don’t want the eggs to stick and the only way to keep them from sticking is to use enough oil and/or butter to make them slide out once they’re baked.
Mushroom, Bacon, Spinach Frittata
Makes 4 to 6 servings
-6 large eggs
-1 tablespoon half & half or heavy cream
-Pinch of kosher salt
-Several grinds of black pepper
-¼ teaspoon dried oregano
-4-6 slices bacon
-1 cup thinly sliced baby bella or cremini mushrooms
-½ cup halved cherry tomatoes
-2 cups loosely packed fresh spinach leaves
-1 clove garlic, minced
-1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
-2-4 tablespoons unsalted butter
-Minced chives, for garnish
Heat oven to 425 degrees.
Break eggs into a large glass measuring cup or medium size bowl.
Whisk in half & half or heavy cream. Add salt, black pepper and oregano.
Set aside.
Place bacon slices in a cast iron (or any heavy ovenproof skillet) over medium heat.
Fry bacon until crisp then remove from skillet and drain on paper towel. Chop into small pieces.
In same skillet over medium heat, add mushrooms and tomatoes to the bacon drippings, cooking and stirring until softened. Stir in spinach and garlic and cook until spinach is wilted. Remove vegetables from skillet and stir them into egg mixture. Stir cheese and bacon pieces into egg mixture. Add enough butter to remaining bacon grease in the skillet to coat sides and bottom completely. Pour egg mixture into skillet and cook on medium-low until bottom of frittata is set. Slide skillet into hot oven and bake frittata until top is set and eggs are cooked through, approximately 8-10 minutes.
Let cool slightly before turning out onto a cutting board or large plate for serving.
*Note: You can add up to six more eggs to make more servings and to make a taller frittata.
