Bacon, Cheddar & Green Chili Frittata
Essentially, an Italian Omelet, a Frittata is served open-faced and not folded over like a French omelet. This is a great Sunday morning breakfast dish, quick, easy and elegant.
Along with omelets, this is another dish that I learned to cook from the 1980s cooking show, The Frugal Gourmet. A Frittata is kindred to an omelet, but it origins are from Italy and it is served open-faced. You start it on the stove and finish it under your broiler. For this recipe, you need a non-stick, oven-safe skillet and while they do make a specialty Frittata Pan, your kitchen’s trusty cast iron skillet will work just as well.
I make my Frittata with onion, green chilies, bacon and cheddar cheese, but a Frittata is as versatile as an omelet. Any number of ingredient combinations could be used; sausage and mushroom comes to mind; ham and Swiss cheese would be another. You get the idea. The key, though, is to always sauté the ingredients first and put the cheese on last.
Bacon, Cheddar & Green Chili Frittata
Ingredients
- 5 large eggs
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1/2 cup heavy cream less two tablespoons
- 4.5 oz can chopped green chili peppers (like, Old El Paso)
- 1/2 medium to large yellow or sweet onion (like, Vidalia or Texas-1015)
- 6 slices thick-cut bacon, cooked and chopped
- 1- 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated
Instructions
- In a cast iron skillet over medium high heat, melt the butter and sauté the onion until translucent and just starting to brown, 5-6 minutes.
- Add the chilies and sauté 3-4 minutes.
- Crack the eggs into a mixing bowl, add the cream and using a wire whisk, whip well until the eggs are smooth and creamy, and both ingredients are well combined.
- Add the chopped bacon bits to the egg and cream mixture, and then add this to the sautéing vegetables in the skillet. Mix everything in the skillet until evenly distributed, and turn the heat down to its next-to-lowest setting.
- After about a minute, the eggs on the bottom of the pan will set, and you will notice the mixture starting to swell up, forming a bubble. With the tip of a knife, poke a hole in the bottom of the eggs and allow steam to escape. Cook the frittata about another 3-4 minutes.
- Turn your broiler on its highest setting and set the grill under the burner about six inches from the heat.
- When the eggs are almost set all the way through, remove the pan from the stove. Total cooking time for the eggs on the stove will be about 5 minutes.
- Place the skillet under the broiler for 2 minutes or until the tops of the eggs lose their shine and are just starting to brown.
- Remove the frittata pan from the oven and evenly top it with the cheddar cheese. Return the frittata to the broiler and cook for another minute to a minute and a half, or until the cheese is bubbly and has thoroughly melted, and is just starting to brown.
- Allow the frittata to cool a couple of minutes before serving. Slice into six wedges and serve.
