Recipe: Asparagus, Cheddar and Potato Fritatta with Quiche Variation

From "Minnesota's Bounty: The Farmers Market Cookbook" by Beth Dooley

Serves 4

A frittata is a flat Spanish omelet, served in wedges at room temperature (never warm). It can also be baked off in a pie crust for a terrific quiche. This recipe calls for spring asparagus, but please do try it with other vegetables in season.

8 large eggs
3 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Generous pinch of crushed red pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil
1 Yukon Gold potato, scrubbed and cut into ½-inch dice
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
½-pound medium-thick asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
3 cloves garlic, minced
6 ounces cheddar, grated

1) In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, parsley, salt, pepper and crushed red pepper.

2) Heat the oil in an oven-proof 10-inch skillet over medium high-heat. Add the potato and a sprinkle of salt, and cook, stirring until the potato is browned on all sides, about 7 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.

3) Reduce the heat, add the onion, and cook until it softens and begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in the asparagus, garlic, and little salt and pepper. Cook until the asparagus is bright green and tender-crisp, 3 to 4 minutes.

4) Position an oven rack 6 inches from the broiler and preheat the broiler to high.

5) Lower the heat under the pan, and add the eggs and the potatoes, stirring until the ingredients are combined, 10 to 15 seconds. Add the cheddar, and stir until it's distributed. Cook without stirring until the eggs have nearly set, 10 to 12 minutes. The center may still be loose, but the sides should be set.

6) Transfer the skillet to the oven, and cook under the broiler until the eggs have set completely and the top of the frittata is golden, 3 to 5 minutes. Let the frittata rest for 5 minutes before transferring it to a cutting board. Cut the frittata into 4 wedges and serve.

Quiche Variation

Serves 4

With a few simple adjustments, the frittata becomes a quiche.

Ingredients for the Fritatta
1 cup milk

1) Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Roll out the crust and fit into a 9 or 10-inch pie tin.

2) Prick the crust all over with a fork. Line it with tin foil and weight the bottom with a pile of dried beans or rice. Bake 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and carefully remove the weight and foil; reduce the oven to 325 degrees F.

3) Follow the directions for the frittata steps 1 through 3. Whisk in the milk.

4) Set the pie tin on a baking sheet and pour in the egg mixture. Carefully transfer the baking sheet to the oven and bake 30 to 40 minutes, until the mixture is set but still moist; it should wiggle a little in the middle.

5) Set on a rack for 5 minutes to allow the ingredients to set then serve warm at room temperature.

Pie Crust

Makes 1 9- or 10-inch crust

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour (or Sunrise Mill heritage all-purpose flour)
½ teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter cut into small pieces
3 tablespoons ice water, or more as needed

1) In a food processor fitted with a steel blade, process the flour and slat and then pulse in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Drizzle in the water, one tablespoon at a time, pulsing until the mixture begins to clump.

2) Turn onto a sheet of parchment paper or plastic wrap and flatten into a disc. Wrap in plastic or parchment and chill for at least 30 minutes before rolling out (or refrigerate overnight).

3) Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin or between two pieces of parchment paper or plastic wrap, into a circle about 10-inches around, 1/8-inch thick. Lift it into the pie tin and trim off the excess dough.

4) Follow the directions for Quiche, beginning with step 2.

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