Quick and Easy Springtime Frittata for happier days

Name: Quick and Easy Springtime Frittata
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 2-4
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Ingredients: 2 tbsp olive oil; 1 leek, chopped; 1 zucchini, chopped; 1 bunch broccolini, chopped if the stems are large; 1 extra tbsp olive oil; 6 large eggs, lightly beaten; 100g feta cheese, crumbled; salt and pepper to season; lemon and chilli flakes to serve

And then it was Spring, and things grew new again. After half a year at home together, and with a flock of a few too many chickens, I’ve made a whole lot of lunches and a whole lot of frittatas.

I love frittatas because they’re quick and easy, but they’re also really tasty. It’s one great way to turn a couple of eggs into a meal; and when you have a flock of 8 chickens for a family of 4, you need to turn a lot of eggs into a lot of meals, either that or make a neighbourhood sized pavlova.

With 8 chickens on hand, if you haven’t had eggs for breakfast, then you must surely eat some at lunch; if you haven’t had any by the afternoon then you will probably be getting one for dinner. There shall be clafoutis and banana pancakes, and french toast galore, not to mention the countless scrambles. A boiled egg may be foisted upon you at any time, and while you’re going out the front door can you take a dozen or so to anyone who will have them? These eggs must be eaten, because there are plenty more coming.

If you are lucky enough to have a few eggs on hand, make yourself a frittata – it’s a really nice change from boiled, fried or scrambled ones and involves only a sprinkling more effort.

What makes a frittata so special?

Frittatas are simple, nowhere near as much work as their fancier cousin the quiche, which is very delicious but should definitely be saved for a time when you have the right kind of energy to make crusts and such.

Frittata, on the other hand, is quick and simple to make and an easy way to turn a couple of eggs into something that feels like a real meal – something that you would use a knife and fork for, and that can be served with a salad for lunch or a light dinner. Something delicious that, even though you just rustled it up, allows you to use a bit of creativity and requires only the amount of effort that you have to give.

Frittata is something you can make in no time at all, and still feel like you’ve made something special.

Real magic belongs to simple cooking – delicious food made from just a few things, tasty results without a lot of fuss, which is exactly what I like. I guess it’s a bit like putting on your favourite pairs of earrings for a zoom meeting, but off camera you’re still wearing your slippers (or pyjamas, we’ve all been there). Good, in all the right ways.

How to cook the best frittata, every time.

There are very few rules about frittatas – and any filling goes – but my best tip to make a great frittata is to cook and season your fillings well in olive oil first, then remove them from the pan before adding in your whisked up eggs. Pop your fillings back into the pan on top of the egg mixture, before finishing off the cooking slowly on the stove top or in a hot oven, or under a broiler or grill. This will give you a frittata you can cut into a slice that is going to hold it’s shape – great for taking on a picnic or eating, in said pyjamas, without making a mess. It also means you can cook your filling and your eggs just how you like them, with nothing over or under-done.

You can use whatever fillings you have on hand to make something fantastic – whether it’s greens and cheese, tomatoes and herbs, last night’s leftover roasted vegetables or even just a single onion fried up in a little olive oil, salt and pepper. Make it depending on what you have on hand or what you feel like, or need to eat up today.

**Your go-to proper lunch at home.**

Here is your next proper lunch (or breakfast, or dinner) to make at home; a frittata recipe that has been on high rotation at our house – our go-to ‘lunch at home’, of which there have been so many. If you’re feeling fancy, serve it with a little chutney to really boost the mood. Toss a little salad on the side and you have a meal worthy of any brunch or lunch out, but from the comfort of home. Stay in your pyjamas, pop on a little french radio, crack a couple of eggs and make yourself a delicious plate in no time at all.

My method for frittata is always the same – cook up your veggies first in some olive oil until they have a little golden colour and are done to your liking, then remove them from the pan (making sure there are no little bits left behind that will burn on the bottom) before adding your whisked eggs to the now empty, hot pan. Once the eggs are in, scatter the fillings back on top – this will give you perfectly cooked fillings and perfectly cooked eggs, and a frittata that will cut and transfer to a plate without falling apart. This is how to make the best frittata, every time.

You can finish cooking your frittata in a hot oven to make it puff up, under a grill or broiler for a golden top, or just keep it on the stovetop and turn the heat down if you don’t want to turn your oven on, or your frying pan won’t fit.

If you have a little ricotta hanging in the fridge stir a dollop of two through the eggs while whisking them up; it will make your eggs puff up gloriously and make the frittata richer and more luxurious – take your little luxuries wherever you can get them, I say. I like to whisk the ricotta through until everything is completely smooth and silky before pouring the mixture into the pan.

Quick and Easy Springtime Frittata for happier days

A simple frittata recipe filled with leek, zucchini and broccolini and finished with a little feta cheese. Not super fancy, but definitely super tasty, and filled with greens because it’s Spring, and greens are always a good idea.

2 tbsp olive oil
1 leek, chopped
1 zucchini, chopped
1 bunch broccolini, chopped if the stems are large, or one head of broccoli, roughly chopped
1 extra tbsp olive oil
6 large eggs, lightly beaten
100g feta cheese, crumbled

salt and pepper to season
lemon and chilli flakes to serve

Heat a medium sized, oven-proof frying pan over medium heat. Preheat the oven to 220°C.

Add the 2 tablespoons olive oil to the pan, swirl to coat, then add the chopped leek. Fry for 5 minutes, until the leek has started to wilt and is just beginning to brown.

Add in the chopped zucchini pieces and fry for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the zucchini is a little brown around the edges. If your broccolini is large, add it to the pan along with the zucchini to start cooking; if it’s thin and tender you can add it later. Season with a little salt and pepper.

Remove the vegetables from the pan and set aside. Add the extra tablespoon of olive oil into the pan and swirl to coat. Pour in the beaten eggs, they should start to set almost immediately. Sprinkle the cooked vegetables on top of the egg, add in the broccolini if you haven’t already and sprinkle with the feta cheese.

Pop the frying pan into the hot oven and cook for 5 – 10 minutes, or until the frittata is golden and slightly puffed; you can also finish it under the grill for a little more colour.

Serve with a quick salad of chopped cucumber and radishes and a few marinated olives, a squeeze of lemon and a few chilli flakes. Lunch or dinner, in no time at all.

Print Recipe

Quick and Easy Springtime Frittata

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Lunch – Mediterranean

By Amber Rossouw – Serves: 2-4

Prep Time: 5 minutes – Cooking Time: 15 minutes – Total Time: 20 minutes

A quick and easy lunch that is super tasty and feels a little bit fancy, without the effort.

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil
1 leek, chopped
1 zucchini, chopped
1 bunch broccolini, chopped if the stems are large
1 extra tbsp olive oil
6 large eggs, lightly beaten
100g feta cheese, crumbled
salt and pepper to season
lemon and chilli flakes to serve

Instructions

Heat a medium sized, oven-proof frying pan over medium heat. Preheat the oven to 220°C.

Add the 2 tablespoons olive oil to the pan, swirl to coat, then add the chopped leek. Fry for 5 minutes, until the leek has started to wilt and is just beginning to brown.

Pop the frying pan into the hot oven and cook for 5 - 10 minutes, or until the frittata is golden and slightly puffed; you can also finish it under the grill for a little more colour.