Frittata Rognosa con Salsiccia

Frittata rognosa translates to 'mangy frittata,' and you must understand that this is not an insult. The name describes the rough, pockmarked surface created when sausage meat is broken into pieces and cooked into the eggs. It looks imperfect. It looks like something a farmer's wife made before dawn. This is precisely the point.

In Piedmont, where this dish originates, cooks do not fuss over smooth surfaces or restaurant presentations. They break sausage into the pan, let it render its fat, and pour beaten eggs over the top. The result is uneven, craggy, and deeply satisfying. The sausage fat flavors the eggs. The cheese melts into pockets. The bottom crisps while the top remains just set.

Americans have a tendency to overcomplicate frittatas with seven vegetables, three cheeses, and herbs from every continent. This is not Italian cooking. A proper frittata needs eggs, one substantial ingredient, perhaps some cheese. The sausage here does the work. What you keep out is as significant as what you put in.