Frittata
Italian egg dish whisked with Parmesan and parsley, cooked slowly over low heat, flipped whole in the pan, and served warm or at room temperature.
The egg mixture comes together gently with cheese and parsley, goes into the pan slowly, and is flipped so both sides turn lightly golden. After a short rest, it's cut into wedges and served warm or at room temperature. Low, even heat determines whether the frittata stays moist all the way to the center.
Ingredients
- 10 eggs
- 80 g Parmigiano-Reggiano, freshly grated
- 1 handful flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- ½ tsp salt
- black pepper, freshly ground
How to make it
- Crack the eggs into a bowl and whisk them lightly with a fork for 2 minutes, just until the yolks and whites come together into one even yellow mixture with no pale streaks. Don't whip air into the eggs, because an airy egg mixture puffs up in the pan and then collapses into a dry frittata.Chef's tip Use a fork rather than a whisk, and watch for pale streaks in the mixture: unincorporated white sets into tough, rubbery threads that stand out clearly in the finished slice.
- Stir the freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, the finely chopped flat-leaf parsley, the salt, and the pepper into the egg mixture. Stir until the cheese is evenly distributed and the mixture is noticeably thickened and leaves a trail behind the fork. Go easy on the salt, since the cheese itself salts the dish heavily.
- Heat the olive oil in a 26 cm pan over medium heat for 2 minutes, until the oil runs thin and coats the whole bottom. The pan is ready when a single drop of egg mixture sets immediately.Chef's tip Tilt the pan so the oil also greases the bottom couple of centimeters of the side. That edge is exactly where the frittata otherwise sticks and tears when you flip it. If the oil smokes, the pan is too hot.
- Pour the egg mixture into the pan, spread it into an even layer, and turn the heat down to low. Let the frittata set without stirring for 8-10 minutes, until the edge is firm and releases from the pan, while the top few millimeters in the center are still glossy and soft. Keep the heat low the whole time, because high heat browns the underside long before the center has set. ⏱ 8 min–10 min
- Loosen the frittata all the way around with a palette knife and slide it onto a flat plate. Place the pan upside down over the plate, and flip the whole thing in one motion so the frittata falls back into the pan with the golden side up. Flipping over a plate keeps your hands clear of the pan and lets the frittata land in one piece.Chef's tip Wait for the edge to release on its own before you slide — forcing a still-sticking frittata is where it tears. A confident, fast flip works; a hesitant one lets it fold.
- Continue cooking the frittata over low heat for 4 minutes, until the new underside is lightly golden and the center feels firm and springy when pressed gently with a finger.Chef's tip The frittata goes on setting from its own heat as it rests, so take it off the heat while the center still gives a little under your finger and springs back. A couple of minutes too long and it feels rubbery in the mouth.
- Slide the frittata onto a cutting board and let it rest for 5 minutes, until it has set and can be cut into clean wedges without the center spilling out. ⏱ 5 min · passive
- Cut the frittata into four wedges and place one wedge on each of four flat plates. Serve it warm or fully at room temperature, the way it's eaten in Italy — it shouldn't be piping hot, because the flavor of the egg and cheese only comes through once it has cooled a little.
