Recipe: Vegetable Frittata (Frittatina di Verdure, Italian)

VEGETABLE FRITTATA (FRITTATINA DI VERDURE)

"Pietro Cardoni's Umbrian garden had everything I needed to make is vegetable frittatina. The beauty of this "recipe" is that it allows you use a variety of your favorite vegetables, resulting in a tasty omelet whose flavor is lifted by a balsamic vinegar dressing."



"Instead of folding the vegetables into the egg mixture, they are cooked separately to retain their al dente texture and then placed on top of the frittata along with some aged ricotta cheese (ricotta salata) and peppery arugula. A great luncheon idea. Other vegetables could include small broccoli or cauliflower florets, asparagus, sweet peppers, summer squash, and sugar snap peas. Get inspired!"

4 ounces chunk pancetta, cut into cubes
8 ounces green beans, julienned
2 small new potatoes, peeled and cubed
4 small carrots, peeled and cubed
2 small zucchini, cubed
4 eggs*
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 slightly green tomatoes, thinly sliced
1/2 cup shredded arugula
4 ounces ricotta salata cheese, cut from the wedge into small, chiplike pieces
Dressing (for serving, recipe follows)

Fill a plastic bag with ice cubes and 3 cups of water and set aside.

Cook the pancetta in a 10-inch nonstick saute pan until crispy. Drain the pancetta on paper towels and set aside.

Fill a 1-quart saucepan with 3 cups of water. Bring to a boil and add 1 teaspoon of salt. Cook the beans, uncovered, until al dente (just tender); they should retain their crunch. Remove the beans with a slotted spoon and transfer them to the bag with the ice water. (This stops the cooking process and allows the beans to retain their vibrant color.) Leave the beans in the bag for 3 or 4 minutes, then remove them with a slotted spoon and let them drain on paper towels.

Add the potatoes to the boiling water and cook until al dente: remove the potatoes with a slotted spoon and set aside. Cook the carrots in the same water and drain them in the same way as the green beans.

Whisk the eggs in a bowl with the parsley and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a 10-inch nonstick skillet. Pour in the egg mixture and cook until it is set. Slide the frittatina onto a serving dish and cut into 4 wedges.

Arrange the tomato slices over the top of the frittatina, then the beans, potatoes, carrots, zucchini, arugula, and pancetta. Pour the dressing over the top and sprinkle the cheese over the dressing. Serve immediately.

*If you cannot have eggs in your diet, use Egg Beaters, substituting 1 cup for the 4 eggs.

DRESSING:

1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt to taste

Combine the vinegar, olive oil, and salt in a jar and set aside.

Makes 4 servings
Source: Ciao Italia by Mary Ann Esposito