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 Zucchine
Created by
The workhorse of the Italian kitchen, where summer zucchini and eggs meet in a pan and prove that the simplest dishes demand the most attention.
Main Dishes
Italian
Weeknight
Quick Meal
Budget Friendly
15 min
Active Time
25 min cook•40 min total
Yield4 servings
Afrittata is not a fancy omelet. It is not brunch food. It is what Italian home cooks have made for generations when there are eggs in the house, vegetables in the garden, and mouths to feed. No folding, no flipping tricks, no cheese fountaining from the center. Just eggs and vegetables cooked together in a pan until set.
The zucchini must be cooked first. This is not optional. Raw zucchini releases water as it cooks, and water is the enemy of a proper frittata. You want the zucchini golden and tender before it ever meets the egg. This takes time. Most home cooks rush this step, and most home cooks produce soggy frittatas.
Americans often serve frittata hot, straight from the pan. Italians know better. A frittata improves as it cools to room temperature. The eggs firm up, the flavors meld, the texture becomes silky rather than wet. You can eat it warm if you insist, but you will be eating something less than it could be.
Frittata derives from the Latin 'frigere,' to fry, and has fed Italian families since at least the Renaissance. Unlike the French omelet, which requires last-minute attention and immediate service, frittata was designed for the realities of farm life: make it in the morning, eat it throughout the day, pack wedges for workers in the fields.
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Discover Culinary ExplorerIngredients
small zucchini
Quantity
1 1/2 pounds
sliced into thin rounds
large eggs
Quantity
6
Parmigiano-Reggiano
Quantity
1/2 cup
freshly grated
extra virgin olive oil
Quantity
4 tablespoons, divided
yellow onion
Quantity
1 small
sliced thin
kosher salt
Quantity
to taste
black pepper
Quantity
to taste
freshly ground
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| small zucchinisliced into thin rounds | 1 1/2 pounds |
| large eggs | 6 |
| Parmigiano-Reggianofreshly grated | 1/2 cup |
| extra virgin olive oil | 4 tablespoons, divided |
| yellow onionsliced thin | 1 small |
| kosher salt | to taste |
| black pepperfreshly ground | to taste |
Equipment Needed
- •10-inch nonstick or well-seasoned cast iron skillet with oven-safe handle
- •Large flat plate for flipping (if using traditional method)
- •Flexible spatula
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the zucchini
Slice the zucchini into rounds no thicker than a quarter inch. Uniformity matters. Thick slices will be soggy in the center while thin ones burn. If your zucchini are large and seedy, cut them lengthwise first, then into half-moons. Salt the slices lightly and let them rest in a colander for 15 minutes. Pat dry with clean towels.
Young, small zucchini with tight skin and no visible seeds are what you want. Large zucchini are watery and bitter. If you can only find large ones, scoop out the seeds before slicing. - 2
Cook the vegetables
In a 10-inch nonstick or well-seasoned cast iron skillet, heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until soft and pale gold, about 8 minutes. Add the zucchini in a single layer, working in batches if necessary. Cook without disturbing until golden on the bottom, then turn. The zucchini should be completely tender and lightly caramelized, another 10 to 12 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a plate and let cool slightly.
- 3
Beat the eggs
Crack the eggs into a large bowl. Add the Parmigiano-Reggiano and a generous grinding of black pepper. Beat with a fork until the yolks and whites are just combined. You are not making a soufflé. Overbeating creates a rubbery frittata. Fold in the cooled zucchini mixture gently.
- 4
Cook the frittata
Wipe out the skillet and add the remaining tablespoon of oil over medium-low heat. Pour in the egg mixture and spread the zucchini evenly with a spatula. Let it cook undisturbed. The edges will begin to set within a minute or two. Gently lift the edges with a spatula and tilt the pan to let uncooked egg flow underneath. Continue until the top is nearly set but still slightly wet, 8 to 10 minutes.
The heat must be gentle. A frittata cooked too fast will brown on the bottom before the center sets, leaving you with a burnt exterior and raw interior. Patience. - 5
Flip or finish
You have two choices. The traditional method: place a large flat plate over the skillet, invert the frittata onto it, then slide it back into the pan to cook the other side for 2 minutes. The simpler method: place the skillet under a hot broiler for 2 to 3 minutes until the top is just set and golden in spots. Either way, the frittata should be firm but not dried out.
If flipping terrifies you, use the broiler. A perfect frittata finished under the broiler is better than a broken one on the floor. - 6
Rest and serve
Slide the frittata onto a cutting board or serving plate. Let it rest for at least 5 minutes. Italians typically serve frittata at room temperature, not hot from the pan. This is not laziness. The texture improves as it settles. Cut into wedges and serve. It needs nothing else.
Chef Tips
- •Small, firm zucchini with glossy skin are essential. They should feel heavy for their size. Large zucchini are watery and bitter, full of seeds that turn to mush. If summer zucchini are not in season, make a different frittata.
- •The ratio is approximately two eggs per person for a main course, one and a half for a lighter meal. The vegetables should be abundant but not overwhelming. You want to taste both.
- •A well-seasoned cast iron skillet works beautifully, but a nonstick pan forgives more mistakes. Use what you have confidence in. A stuck frittata is a ruined frittata.
- •Leftover frittata, if such a thing exists in your house, keeps for two days in the refrigerator. Bring it to room temperature before serving. It also makes an excellent sandwich filling, pressed between good bread with a few leaves of arugula.
Advance Preparation
- •The zucchini can be cooked up to several hours ahead and held at room temperature. Do not refrigerate, as cold vegetables will lower the temperature of the eggs and extend cooking time.
- •A finished frittata holds well at room temperature for up to four hours, making it ideal for picnics, buffets, and feeding a crowd without last-minute fuss.
Frequently Asked Questions
Nutrition Information
1 serving (about 250g)
Calories
315 calories
Total Fat
25 g
Saturated Fat
7 g
Trans Fat
0 g
Unsaturated Fat
17 g
Cholesterol
290 mg
Sodium
680 mg
Total Carbohydrates
8 g
Dietary Fiber
2 g
Sugars
5 g
Protein
16 g
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