I’m working on my eggs. Don’t worry –I’m not going to bore you with obsessive step-by-step analyses of frying, poaching or omelet making (though I can sometimes really go for that sort of thing). I have been trying out some new recipes and techniques to brighten up my repertoire of egg dishes, however, and I thought I’d share a few of them with you.
This one is a new favorite. It comes from the Parsi culinary tradition in India and transforms humble ingredients –eggs, potato, tomato, zucchini– into an unusually delicious dish. The vegetables aren’t browned or cooked to a mush, and the herbs and spices impart a gentle warmth rather than brash heat, so the overall effect is clean, light and refreshing. With a little toast, it’s an unexpected (but accessible) twist on a breakfast omelet. Or you can add a green salad and serve it as a light lunch (which is when Julia and I like to have our eggs). Like its culinary cousin tortilla espanola, it’s equally delicious served hot, warm or at room temperature, so, unlike many egg dishes that need to be served piping hot, it’s a great way to serve eggs to a group without turning yourself into a short-order cook.
The only tricky part of the recipe is flipping the half-cooked frittata over by inverting it onto a plate. Practice is good, but confidence is better. Even if you’ve never done this before, perform the maneuver in single decisive movement, and you’ll end up with far more egg in the pan than on the floor.
Recipe
(Adapted from Vegetable Omelette in Indian Cooking by Madhur Jaffrey. Serves 6.)
Ingredients
1 lb (450g) zucchini
1 3/4 teaspoons table salt, or to taste
1 large yellow or white onion, finely chopped
1 large or two medium potatoes (russet or a firmer potato like yukon gold), peeled and cut into a 1/4 inch (5mm) dice.
3 fresh, hot green chilies (like jalapenos or serranos), finely chopped (ribs and seeds removed if you don’t care for very spicy food)
2 medium tomatoes, diced
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne peper (optional)
Freshly ground black pepper
9 large eggs
About 3 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro (or parsley)
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
Instructions
1. Trim the ends of the zucchinis and grate them coarsely into a bowl. Add about 3/4 teaspoons of salt and mix thoroughly. Set aside.
After 30 minutes, squeeze the liquid out of the zucchini, handful by handful in your fist. (Do this twice — not because it’s therapeutic, but because it’ll ensure you don’t get a watery frittata.)
2. While you’re waiting to wring your zucchini, prep your other ingredients.
3. Heat a nonstick 10-inch skillet over medium heat for about a minute. Then, add about 3 tablespoons of oil. After another minute or so, add the onions. Stir and fry for about a minute and then add the potato and the green chilies. Stir and fry for about 5 minutes more or until the potato pieces are just about tender.
4. Add the zucchini, tomato, cumin, cayenne (if using — and I hope you are), the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Stir and cook for 2-3 minutes or until the tomato pieces are soft. Set aside to cool. (I spread the mixture out on a baking sheet to speed this up.)
5. Break the eggs into a bowl. When the vegetable mixture is nearing room temperature, add it and the cilantro (or parsley) to the eggs and mix well. Sprinkle in the baking powder and mix again.
6. Wipe out the frying pan and warm the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-low heat. Pour in the egg mixture. Cover and cook over low heat for 15 minutes.
7. After about 15 minutes, the frittata will be set around the edges but still soft in the center. Now you need to turn it over. To to this, place a large plate over the skillet. Hold the handle of the skillet with one hand and put the palm of your other hand firmly on top of the plate. Lift the skillet off of the stove and then, quickly and confidently, invert it, tipping the half-cooked frittata onto the plate. Put the skillet back on the stove and then slide the frittata back into the pan. (If a little soft egg mixture remains on the plate, just lift up an edge of the frittata and pour it under.)
8. Cook, uncovered, for about 5 minutes more, until it is set through. To serve, invert the frittata once more onto a plate.
Serve hot out of the pan, warm or at room temperature.
