Mediterranean Frittata

We have made this recipe 3 times already in the short time since the first time we made it. It's fairly easy, fairly quick, and I can impart some tips we learned along the way. The first tip is to watch your heat. The next is the answer to the question we kept getting, "What is a frittata?" According to Wikipedia it is "an egg-based Italian dish similar to an omelet or crustless quiche or scrambled eggs, enriched with additional ingredients such as meats, cheeses, or vegetables."

• 1 cup chopped white onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 8 eggs, beaten
• 1/4 cup half and half, light cream, or milk
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese (2 oz)
• 1/2 cup chopped, bottled, roasted red peppers (sweet preferred)
• 1/2 cup sliced or chopped kalamata olives
• 1/4 cup slivered fresh basil
• 1/8 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 cup garlic and onion croutons, coarsely crushed
• 2 Tbsp finely shredded Parmesan cheese

In a large broilerproof skillet cook onion and garlic in 2 Tbsp of the hot oil until onion is just tender. Meanwhile, in a bowl beat together eggs and half and half. Stir in feta cheese, roasted peppers, olives, basil, and black pepper. 

Pour egg mixture over onion mixture in skillet. Cook over medium heat (do not overheat or the eggs will get stick to the pan, when in doubt lower the heat). As mixture sets, run a spatula around the skillet edge, lifting egg mixture so uncooked portion flows underneath. Preheat broiler. Continue cooking and lifting edges until egg mixture is almost set (surface will be moist). 

In a small bowl combine the remaining 1 Tbsp oil, crushed croutons, and Parmesan cheese; sprinkle over frittata. Broil 4-5 inches from heat for 1-2 minutes or until top is set and crumbs are golden. Cut frittata in quarters and serve. If desired, garnish with fresh basil leaves. 

NOTES: We cooked it in the Dutch oven every time and it worked well. I didn't worry too much about being able to cut it into slices so a few times we just served it in the pot and had people spoon out what they wanted. 

Serves 4

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Recipe from Better Homes and Gardens cookbook