Make a frittata for brunch, they said. It will be easy, they said. But it’s still not working out? Sometimes we miss some details when reading recipes, instructions and how to articles. It doesn’t have to be a disaster. Here are some secrets for cooking frittata and a few mistakes to avoid.
Frittatas are sometimes the best, but I know from experience that sometimes they can be the worst and just not work out. They can have exquisite flavor and texture, on they can be a rubbery, chewy, flavorless mess. I am here to help you avoid all of that. And enable the frittata to become one of your go-to meals: cheap, easy to make, and good for all seasons and times of the day.
What’s even better is that cooking frittata means you can use whatever leftover veggies and meats you have in your kitchen.
For starters, try to make this onion and walnut frittata, with lots of garlic and flavor!
7 tips and tricks for cooking frittata to perfection
1. Always use full-fat dairy
You don’t have to use milk or other dairy products in a frittata, but can I urge you to try it (Of course, only if you’re not lactose intolerant – I am not a monster)? You can use whole milk, yogurt, creme fraiche or even sour cream, and it enriches your experience fully.
Just make sure that the product you use is not too low-fat because that would be like adding water. And nobody wins when we do that!
2. Cook the fillings before adding the eggs
Frittata is an amazing delivery system for your dinner leftovers, like cooked veggies, roasted potatoes, or pieces of sausage.
But if you use raw ingredients, you have to cook them first, before adding the eggs on top. Foods rich in liquid like tomatoes or mushrooms could water down your eggs if you don’t precook them and let them release their moisture before assembling the frittata.
The cooking time for the eggs is so fast, that items like onions or potatoes might end up almost raw in the frittata. Saute everything first!
3. Be mindful of proportions
Even if you’re creatively improving upon a recipe, be mindful of the proportions between the eggs, the fillings, and the dairy.
Too much dairy could make your eggs runny. Too many fillings won’t have enough egg to stick them together.
4. Don’t overwork the eggs
When you whisk your eggs, keep it light and keep it short. Just enough to blend the egg whites and the yolks evenly. If you overdo it, you might end up with a collapsed egg layer when the frittata comes out of the oven and cools a little.
5. Don’t overbake
A great frittata has a consistency similar to custard. It should be barely set, not completely solid. How do you watch out for that? Well, if the crust is golden, that means your dish is already overcooked. Check the frittata in the oven five minutes before the recipe says it’s done. And if you really want that crust on top, use cheese to create the crispy effect. It cooks much faster than the eggs.
Don’t throw away old bread, add it to a frittata and witness the magic!
6. Season wisely
Add salt and pepper to your eggs before they hit the pan or the skillet. If you just sprinkle some salt over the pan, when all the ingredients are there, it will mostly make the top part incredibly salty and the interior under-seasoned and bland, and that’s not the right way of cooking frittata. You should also season your fillings whenever you cook them, so they get the most flavor improvement possible.
7. Choose your cheese mindfully
Choose the cheese to use with a purpose in mind. If you want something that melts and that you can feel in every delicious bite of your frittata, then shred your cheese and stir it in the eggs before adding to the pan. A harder cheese like parmesan doesn’t melt that well and is better added to the top of the frittata, for a salty, crunchy layer. Cheddar and gruyere cheese will make the texture of the frittata creamier.
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