Ham and Asparagus Frittata

My goodness, it’s been a while. Along with my work schedule, I’ve gone back to school. That’s been taking up quite a bit of my time. It’s past time to talk about food, again.

Frittatas are wonderful mixtures of eggs and other savory ingredients. In this case, were; using ham, asparagus, and cheese. You may want to wait until late spring to use asparagus, when it’s in season. Other vegetables can easily be substituted, though. Unlike omelets, frittatas are finished in the oven. Unlike quiche, there’s no crust. They’re quite easy to prepare, and make a great brunch or weekend breakfast. Breakfast food for dinner is fun, too.

Equipment Needed
cutting board
chef’s knife
box grater
measuring cups and spoons
whisk
mixing bowls
rubber spatula
non-stick, oven-proof skillet

Ingredients
1/2 lb. asparagus
2 oz. deli ham, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 Tbsp oil
1/2 onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup of grated gruyere, or other crumbly or hard cheese
6 large eggs
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
2 Tbsp minced fresh parsley, or 1 tbsp dried parsley

Directions
Trim the woody stalks from the asparagus and cut on a bias into small pieces, about 1-inch long. Leave a few trimmed spears whole if you feel adventurous.

Adjust an oven rack to the upper middle position and preheat to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

In the meantime, beat the eggs in a mixing bowl. Whisk in the cheese, parsley, salt and pepper, and set aside.

Heat the oil in a medium sized, oven proof skillet over medium heat, until shimmering. Add the onion, asparagus and ham. Cook until the onion is softened, stirring frequently, about 4 – 5 minutes.

Add the egg mixture to the skillet and gently stir with the rubber spatula. Cook until the eggs on the bottom start to set, about 30 seconds. Gently pull the cooked eggs back from the edge of the skillet towards the center. Tilt the skillet slightly to let any uncooked egg run to the clear edge. Repeat, working around the skillet, until the eggs are mostly set on top, but still moist, about 1 or 2 minutes.

Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake until the top is set and dry to the touch, about 3 minutes.

Run the spatula around the skillet edge and bottom to loosen the frittata and invert onto a serving plate. Cut into 4 to 8 pieces. Frittatas can be served warm, at room temperature, or chilled.

Makes 4 servings.