Chef Graziella
Caponata Siciliana
The great sweet-sour eggplant dish of Sicily, where each vegetable is fried separately then united in a tomato sauce sharpened with vinegar and softened with a little sugar. This is not a recipe to rush.
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Frittata di Cipolle
Created by
Piedmontese farmhouse cooking in its purest form. Two pounds of onions become sweet and golden through patience, then bind with eggs into something that needs nothing more.
Main Dishes
Italian, Piedmontese
Weeknight
Comfort Food
Budget Friendly
20 min
Active Time
50 min cook•1 hr 10 min total
Yield4 servings
The frittata is not a French omelet. It is not folded, not runny, not pale. It is an Italian creation: flat, set throughout, cooked slowly until the eggs are tender and the filling has given everything it has to give. When the filling is onions, cooked properly, you have one of the most satisfying dishes in the Italian repertoire.
In Piedmont, where the winters are cold and the cooking is honest, onion frittata has fed farm families for centuries. It costs almost nothing. It uses ingredients every kitchen has. And when made with attention, it tastes like something far more complicated than its ingredient list suggests.
The secret is time. You cannot rush onions. High heat makes them bitter and burnt at the edges. Low heat, sustained for 40 minutes, transforms them into something sweet, soft, and golden. This is the foundation. Skip this step or hurry it, and you will have eggs with crunchy onion bits. That is not a frittata. That is failure.
Frittata di cipolle belongs to the cucina povera tradition of Piedmont, where farmers' wives transformed humble ingredients into sustaining meals. The dish appears in regional cookbooks from the 19th century, though it was surely made for generations before anyone thought to write it down. In the countryside around Turin and Alba, it remains standard fare for a light supper or a packed lunch in the fields.
The technique, the tradition, and the story behind every dish.
Discover Culinary ExplorerIngredients
yellow onions
Quantity
2 pounds
sliced thin
unsalted butter
Quantity
4 tablespoons
extra virgin olive oil
Quantity
2 tablespoons
large eggs
Quantity
8
at room temperature
Parmigiano-Reggiano
Quantity
1/2 cup
freshly grated
fresh flat-leaf parsley
Quantity
2 tablespoons
chopped fine
fine sea salt
Quantity
1/2 teaspoon, plus more for onions
black pepper
Quantity
to taste
freshly ground
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| yellow onionssliced thin | 2 pounds |
| unsalted butter | 4 tablespoons |
| extra virgin olive oil | 2 tablespoons |
| large eggsat room temperature | 8 |
| Parmigiano-Reggianofreshly grated | 1/2 cup |
| fresh flat-leaf parsleychopped fine | 2 tablespoons |
| fine sea salt | 1/2 teaspoon, plus more for onions |
| black pepperfreshly ground | to taste |
Equipment Needed
- •10-inch skillet with sloped sides and ovenproof handle
- •Large flat plate for flipping
- •Sharp knife for slicing onions thin
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the onions
Slice the onions thin and even. Uniformity matters. Thick pieces will remain crunchy while thin ones burn. Use a sharp knife and take your time. Two pounds of onions will seem like a mountain. They will cook down to almost nothing. This is correct.
- 2
Cook the onions slowly
In a 10-inch skillet with sloped sides, melt the butter with the olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the onions and a generous pinch of salt. The salt draws moisture from the onions and helps them soften. Stir to coat every strand with fat. Reduce heat to low. Cook for 35 to 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are completely soft, golden, and sweet. They should melt on your tongue.
Do not rush the onions. High heat creates bitter, burnt edges. Low heat creates sweetness. This is the foundation of the entire dish. If you are impatient, make something else. - 3
Beat the eggs
While the onions cook, crack the eggs into a large bowl. Add the Parmigiano-Reggiano, parsley, half teaspoon of salt, and several grinds of pepper. Beat with a fork until the yolks and whites are combined but not frothy. You want a unified mixture, not foam.
- 4
Combine eggs and onions
When the onions are done, let them cool for five minutes in the pan. They should not be so hot that they scramble the eggs on contact. Add the onions to the egg mixture and stir thoroughly. Every strand should be distributed throughout.
- 5
Cook the frittata
Return the same skillet to medium-low heat. Add a thin film of olive oil if the pan seems dry. Pour in the egg and onion mixture, spreading the onions evenly with a fork. Cook without stirring. After two minutes, reduce heat to the lowest setting. Let the frittata set slowly, about 8 to 10 minutes. The edges will pull away from the pan. The top will still be slightly wet.
A proper frittata is not a French omelet. It cooks low and slow. The texture should be tender throughout, never rubbery, never wet in the center. - 6
Flip or finish
You have two choices. The traditional method: place a flat plate over the skillet, invert the frittata onto it, then slide it back into the pan to cook the other side for two minutes. The modern method: place the skillet under a hot broiler for one to two minutes until the top is set and barely golden. Both work. The flip produces a more even result. The broiler is easier.
If your skillet handle is not ovenproof, wrap it in several layers of wet paper towels, then foil. Or simply flip. Your grandmothers did not have broilers. - 7
Rest and serve
Slide the frittata onto a cutting board or serving plate. Let it rest for five minutes. The eggs continue cooking from residual heat and the texture settles. Cut into wedges. Serve warm or at room temperature. A frittata is not served hot from the pan. It is patient food for patient people.
Chef Tips
- •Yellow onions have the best balance of sweetness and depth. White onions are too sharp. Red onions discolor the eggs. Sweet onions like Vidalias can substitute, but they lack complexity.
- •The combination of butter and olive oil is deliberate. Butter gives richness. Oil prevents the butter from burning during the long onion cooking. Use both.
- •Room temperature eggs set more evenly than cold eggs. Remove them from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking.
- •A well-seasoned cast iron skillet or nonstick pan with sloped sides makes flipping easier. If your eggs stick, your pan is the problem, not your technique.
Advance Preparation
- •Onions can be cooked up to two days ahead and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before combining with eggs.
- •The finished frittata keeps at room temperature for several hours, covered. It is traditional picnic food. Refrigerate leftovers and eat within two days, cold or at room temperature.
Frequently Asked Questions
Nutrition Information
1 serving (about 210g)
Calories
450 calories
Total Fat
32 g
Saturated Fat
14 g
Trans Fat
0 g
Unsaturated Fat
18 g
Cholesterol
415 mg
Sodium
630 mg
Total Carbohydrates
22 g
Dietary Fiber
4 g
Sugars
10 g
Protein
20 g
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