Roasted Vegetable Frittata

Tonight was about utilizing leftover vegetables in a new and interesting way. I decided to delve into frittatas for the first time, and after taking a bite quickly decided that this would certainly become a staple of my kitchen. My boyfriend, hesitant that an egg dish could possibly constitute an entree, quickly became a convert.

I had leftover stir-fried veggies from a previous meal, but feel free to cook them up just for this as well. You can put nearly any vegetable (or many meats) into this dish, so it is a great meal as the week comes to a close and you want to make sure that nothing goes bad.

Worried about the health? The cholesterol? As you'll see below, I trimmed down the fat, cholesterol, and calories with some egg substitute and low-fat cheese. Yet I still used a few real eggs to make sure that the frittata tasted as delicious as possible.

Time: 35 min
Difficulty: easy

Roasted Vegetable Frittata
Ingredients:
3 eggs
3 equivalent egg beaters (probably 3/4 c)
1 c. shredded cheese (low fat)
1.5 tsp black pepper
1 tsp basil
1/2 tsp Thyme
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup roasted vegetables of your choice
1.5 tbsps vegetable oil

As you will see, this recipe is open to many variations, but that's what makes it so terrific. If you already have roasted vegetables, start by raiding your fridge and finding them. If not, we must cook them!

Slice into bite-sized pieces whatever vegetables you would like to include. I used onion, yellow squash, zucchini, and mushroom. However, tomatoes, caramelized onions, eggplant, spinach, bell pepper, broccoli, and potato would all be good additions as well.

Heat a pan over medium to medium high heat on your stove and add about 1/2 tsp of olive oil. When the oil is heated add your vegetables to the pan. Stir frequently to keep them from burning and to make sure they cook evenly. Stir and cook for 5-10 minutes depending on what type of vegetables you are using. When they are cooked through and soft, remove them from the stove and dump them from the pan onto a plate to cool. Let the vegetables cool a little.

Once your vegetables are assembled, preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Now, a typical frittata is prepared by cooking the egg on the stove until it is just about set and then broiling it. However, to do this you need a dish that can go on the stove AND in the oven. If you are like me, you have nice teflon plans with black handles that do not get hot. But that means they are most likely made of plastic and cannot go in the oven. So this recipe is adapted and prepared in an ethnically Moroccan way to get around this barrier and provide a delightful taste.

As your oven preheats, get your eggs ready. Beat 3 eggs until just combined in a large bowl. Add the equivalent of 3 egg beaters. Usually, 1/4 cup of egg beater is equivalent to one egg but check the container to make sure.

Shred 1 cup of cheese of your choice and add that. I used low-fat mozzarella, but any kind will work. Add the pepper, basil, Thyme, and salt. Mix well.

By now the oven should be hot. Take an 8x8 or 9x9 glass baking dish and pour the vegetable oil into it. Tilt the dish back and forth to make sure it is well coated. Place the oiled dish in the oven and leave it there for 15 minutes. You want the oil to be very, very hot for the next step with it.

As the oil heats, finish letting your vegetables cool enough to touch. Add them to the egg mixture. Mix well.

(Read through the next steps to make sure you understand. You will want to move very quickly without having to keep checking this recipe!)

After the oil has heated in the dish for fifteen minutes, carefully remove the baking dish from the oven, being careful not to burn yourself by splashing the oil. Immediately pour the egg mixture (with the vegetables in it) into the dish. The egg should start sizzling and cooking immediately; the hot oil makes sure the egg instantly sears on the outside and starts to cook as soon as it is poured in. Right away, return the pan to the oven.

Bake for 12-14 minutes or until the egg is set. The time will vary based on the egg/egg beater combination you used and the size of the dish, so check by lightly shaking the dish. If the egg swirls around, it's not ready.

When the egg is just about set, turn your oven to a high broil. Broil for 3 minutes or just until the top is lightly browned. Remove from the oven, cool for a couple minutes, and bite into this delectable dish.