Frittata with Ham and Roasted Vegetables

Frittatas are one of my favorite egg dishes for a few reasons.  First, there's no need to make a crust - which is both a time saver and it reduces our carb intake.  Second, you can fill them with just about anything - specific meat/veggie combos, leftovers from last night's dinner, forgotten items from the crisper drawer, etc.  And last, but certainly not least, they're equally delicious served both warm and at room temperature.  So that makes frittatas tasty, versatile, and convenient!  I hope I've convinced you to give them a try.

Start by roasting a mixture of vegetables in the oven as directed in the recipe below.

In a 12-inch cast iron skillet, saute ham and scallions in a little butter.  Remove from heat.

Note: this recipe can be reduced in half and baked in an 8 or 9-inch cast iron skillet.

Add the roasted vegetables to the skillet with the ham and stir well.  Lightly press the vegetables into an even layer - don't press too firmly, there needs to be lots of air spaces for the egg mixture to seep into.

Wondering what that red thing is?  It's a silicone handle cover so I don't burn my hands on the hot skillet.

Whisk together eggs, cream, milk, parmesan cheese, scallions, kosher salt, and pepper.

Pour the egg mixture over the vegetables.

Carefully transfer the skillet to a 350F oven for 30-35 minutes or until the eggs are no longer giggly in the center of the pan.

Remove from oven and sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese and chopped chives evenly all over.  Return to oven for 3 or 4 minutes to melt cheese.  If you like your cheese browned, carefully place under broiler for a minute or so.

Allow to rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing.  Serve warm or at room temperature.  

Items used to make this recipe:

(affiliate links)

• 12-inch cast iron skillet https://amzn.to/3pfetxU

• silicone handle cover https://amzn.to/44bRliq

• pie server https://amzn.to/3qYMcMz

• flat whisk https://amzn.to/3skqvTS

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Frittata with Ham and Roasted Vegetables

makes 12 servings

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil

• 2 cups chopped bell pepper (I used red and orange)

• 2 cups seeded and chopped zucchini and/or summer squash

• 2 cups chopped mushrooms

• 1 cup chopped red, white, or yellow onion

• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

• 2 teaspoons finely minced garlic
  

• 1 tablespoon butter

• 2 cups cubed ham

• 2 scallions, sliced
  

• 12 large eggs

• 1/4 cup heavy cream

• 3/4 cup whole milk

• 2 scallions, chopped

• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese (use the good stuff)

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  

• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

• 1 teaspoon chopped chives

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425F and place rack in center position.

2. Place chopped peppers, zucchini/summer squash, mushrooms, and onion on half sheet pan.

3. Coat vegetables evenly with olive oil, salt, and pepper, tossing as needed; shake pan to spread vegetables in an even layer.

4. After 15 minutes, remove vegetables from oven and add minced garlic; toss well and spread veggies out in a single layer and return to oven for 15-30 minutes until they are caramelized (the time will vary depending on which vegetables you use).

5. Remove vegetables from oven and set aside until needed.

6. Reduce oven temp to 350F.

7. In a 12-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat, saute ham and scallions in butter for about 5 minutes or until ham browns a bit; remove from heat.

8. Add roasted vegetables to the skillet; stir the ham and vegetables together well and lightly press into an even layer (don't pack it tightly - you want to leave lots of air pockets for the egg mixture to seep into).

9. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, cream, milk, scallions, parmesan cheese, kosher salt, and black pepper; pour evenly over vegetables.

10. Carefully place skillet into 350F oven and bake for 30-35 minutes until the eggs are cooked through and no longer giggly in the center of the pan.

11. Remove from oven and top with shredded cheddar and chopped chives; return to oven for 3-4 minutes until cheese melts. If you like the cheese to brown a bit, place under broiler for a minute or two (watch it carefully to prevent burning).

recipe inspired by ina garten

Easy Pasta Carbonara

Pasta Carbonara is one of the most popular pasta dishes at Italian restaurants, and the thought of making it at home can be intimidating, but today I'm going to show you a very simple version that just about anyone can make.  Here we go.  

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, saute diced pancetta until brown.

While the pancetta is browning, weigh out the cheese and add eggs and pepper.

Combine the cheese, eggs, and pepper - set aside until needed.

Back to the skillet.  When the pancetta is brown, add 1/2 cup chicken stock (try my recipe for delicious homemade stock).  

Scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan.  Heat until the chicken stock boils.

Add the precooked pasta and toss it around to heat it through.

GRADUALLY, add the cheese/egg mixture while stirring the pasta VIGOROUSLY. If you add the mixture to the hot pasta too fast, the eggs could curdle instead of turning into a creamy sauce. 

I like to finish it with a sprinkling of parsley, crushed red pepper flakes, and a little extra cracked black pepper just before serving.  Enjoy!  

Items used to make this recipe:

(affiliate links)

• box grater https://amzn.to/3NJLZEL

• large stainless skillet https://amzn.to/3gvXoHI

• tongs https://amzn.to/3GAoCry

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Easy Pasta Carbonara

makes 4-6 servings

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• 4 ounces pancetta, diced into small cubes

• 1/2 cup chicken stock

• 3 large eggs, room temperature

• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

• 3 1/2 ounces (100 grams) grated pecorino romano cheese

• 1 pound slightly undercooked long pasta (like spaghetti, linguine, bucatini), rinsed with cold water

• optional: crushed red pepper, chopped parsley

Directions

1. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown pancetta in olive oil for several minutes; add chicken stock and simmer for 2 minutes.

2. In a mixing bowl, combine the eggs, black pepper, and grated cheese.

3. Add the pasta to the skillet and stir for 2 minutes to reheat.

4. Slowly add the egg/cheese mixture to the skillet, stirring constantly until the cheese melts and forms a creamy sauce, coating all the pasta.

5. Place pasta in a serving bowl and garnish with crushed red pepper flakes and chopped parsley.