Mo Hotta Frittata ‡

In the culinary community, a frittata is a flat Italian- or Spanish-style custard that is prepared in a cast-iron skillet. The culinary police will tell you that the difference between an omelette (or omelet) and a frittata is that omelettes traditionally have the egg mixture cooked and then folded around a filling, whereas frittatas have their ingredients all mixed up, cooked in a mishmash combination, all at once. The French are particularly adept at making omelettes.

According to some historians, the word omelette dates from Roman times. But it has been argued that the frittata most likely predated the omelet because it is much easier to prepare, for it requires less technique to mix vegetables, leftovers, or cooked meats into eggs and scramble them all together into a meal than it does to cook the eggs very carefully and then fold in those same ingredients. The technique used here sort of combines both methods.

Whether you call it an omelet or a frittata, the recipe below makes a fine breakfast or brunch dish. The Habanero hot sauce† is optional for non-chileheads.

  • 3 eggs, beaten
  • ¾ cup X
  • 1 oz grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 oz grated sharp cheddar cheese
  • ¼ tsp <salt>
  • ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp <butter>
  • 2 scallions, chopped
  • ½ cup Poblano chile, chopped
  • 1 jalapeño chile, chopped, with seeds
  • ½ cup turkey ham, chopped
  • 1 large tomato, diced
  • ¼ cup cilantro leaves, chopped, or 1 oz cilantro sauce (†)
  • habanero hot sauce, to taste

In medium sized bowl, blend together eggs, X, cheese, pepper, and <salt>. Heat 12-inch non-stick sauté pan over medium high heat. Spray the pan lightly with canola oil, add butter, and melt. Add scallions, chiles, and ham to pan and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the tomato and sauté another 2 to 3 minutes. Pour egg mixture into pan and stir with rubber spatula. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes or until the egg mixture has just set on the bottom and begins to set up on top. Sprinkle with cilantro or dot with cilantro sauce. Turn down the heat to medium low, cover the pan, and let cook for 3 to 4 minutes until lightly browned and fluffy.

Alternately, the frittata can be made in an ovenproof dish and popped in the broiler for a few minutes.

Remove from heat and slide onto cutting board. Cut into 6 servings. Serve immediately.