OVERVIEW
Frittata or Spanish Tortilla are wonderful for breakfast or served anytime. This is a great way to use leftover vegetables or meat. For this reason, every home chef should have this basic dish as part of their cooking repertoire. It is a way to reduce food waste while being creative and serving delicious meals to your friends and family. This recipe has pictures so you can learn how to make frittata step by step.
Spanish Tortilla or Frittata – What’s the Difference?
Tortilla and frittata share many of the same characteristics. They are both egg based thick omelettes usually with salt, pepper, onion, and other ingredients, too. But, the main difference is that Spanish tortilla is cooked partially and then flipped (usually slid onto a plate and then inverted) whereas frittata is usually started on the stovetop and finished in the oven without any sliding or inverting. I’ve enjoyed eating these dishes in various parts of Spain and Italy and make them often at home. I use the term frittata because tortilla for most Americans means the thin, flat flour or cornmeal pancake used in burritos and other “Mexican” cooking. So, to avoid confusion I say frittata.
Making Frittata is a Creative Endeavor
Frittata is absolutely delicious topped with ripe tomatoes and a mixture of Original Dipping Sauce or Citrus Infused Sauce mixed with either mayo or sour cream. But, seriously use whatever ingredient and leftovers you have on hand. Change it up over time. We like to add carrots no matter what other ingredients we use. Compliment your frittata with fresh herbs. If there aren’t any in season, then learn another trick, make herb pesto while the herbs are in season. Put that on your calendar right NOW. Carrots and herbs gives your frittata extra flavor and beautiful color, too.
This recipe will make 1 large frittata that you can snack on all day or share with others as an entree or appetizer. No matter how you make your frittata it will be even more tasty dipped in Spicy Mayo.
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Ingredients:
- 2-3 medium potatoes, sliced (mix in a sweet potato for extra flavor)
- Optional: 1 large carrot, sliced or diced
- Optional: any leftovers you wish to include, e.g. veggies, meat, fish, sausage, etc.
- 2 cloves garlic (crushed) or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 5-7 crimini “brown” mushrooms, sliced (mini portobello)
- 1/2 cup onion, sliced (try mixing a variety of onions – red, sweet, yellow)
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil or olive oil or butter
- Optional: 1 tablespoon rosemary, finely chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 6 or more large eggs
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise, additional mayonnaise if used as mix in topping
- Your favorite cheese, sliced or shredded (if you slice it you can arrange the slices to get pie shaped cut lines – see picture)
- Toppings: avocado, tomatoes, green onions, fresh herbs, sour cream, spicy mayo, or whatever you like
- Organic Citrus Infused Sauce or Organic Original Dipping Sauce – Hot or Medium
Instructions:
- First, add oil to a heated pan over medium heat
- Next, add potatoes and onions and optionally carrots
- Add salt, pepper, crushed garlic, and optionally rosemary
- Sauté to distribute seasoning
- Next, add mushrooms, continue to cook
- Cook mixture until potatoes are fork tender, do not brown
- Cover to speed cooking
- Finally, when potatoes are fork tender remove pan from heat
In a separate bowl, combine eggs with 1 tablespoon mayo (optional) and 1 tablespoon Original Dipping or Citrus Infused Sauce
- Beat egg mixture thoroughly with a fork
- Next, combine potatoes and egg mixture in large mixing bowl
- Return oiled pan to burner
- Spread frittata mixture evenly on pan using a heat resistant rubber spatula
- Periodically shake the pan to keep frittata loosened, add oil or butter as necessary
- Cover pan to speed cooking
- When the frittata is firm slide onto a large plate
- Hanging onto the edge of the plate, invert and place frittata uncooked side down onto the pan, firmly set with spatula as needed (do this quickly without hesitation once started)
- Cover to speed cooking
- Place sliced or grated cheese(s) on frittata (useful to create pie shaped cut lines)
- Prepare toppings as frittata cooks and cheese melts
- Slide frittata onto plate, slice, and top with chopped tomatoes, sliced green onions, avocado and anything else
Frittata Serving Suggestions
Serve it hot or cold. In Spain, it is very common for tortilla to be served cold or room temperature. Serve with Organic Citrus Infused Sauce or Organic Original Dipping Sauce – Hot or Medium on its own or mixed with mayonnaise or sour cream. We especially love this dish dipped in Spicy Mayo. Enjoy!