Senior Web Editor Jessica Mordo cooked, quite simply, the Best Frittata Ever.
Why this recipe? My husband eats a lot of eggs. Like, a shocking amount. So when our Cookbook Club decided to run with a “Valentine’s breakfast in bed” theme, I knew I’d have to find the perfect egg-based dish. Frittatas are simple to make, but I don’t often make as decadent a version as this one. Crème fraîche and Gruyère? Yum. Bacon? No-brainer. Sautéed Brussels sprouts? Nice, at least there’s something healthy thrown in. Add it all up, and this recipe seemed worthy of the occasion. But would it be a home run?
What was it like to make it? Easy peasy! I usually don’t follow a recipe when it comes to making a frittata—usually I just throw whatever I have on hand into the mix and it turns out great. I also cheated a little bit by scoring a bag of pre-sliced Brussels sprouts (in just about the exact quantity I needed!) at Trader Joe’s. This purchase saved me a lot of time, but left me without the Brussels sprouts leaves from the ingredients list—but I don’t think it negatively affected the dish too much. Although the sautéeing took more time than I’m used to for a frittata mixture, the entire cooking process was straightforward. Bonus: the dish filled my kitchen with an intoxicating oniony, bacony aroma. Swoon!
How did it turn out? “OMG. OMG. OMG.” That’s what my husband and I kept saying after each bite. The egg formed into a fluffy pillow of savory goodness, part of which I’ll attribute to the crème fraîche. I’ve never used it in my frittatas before, but its addition makes total sense—it’s a quintessential ingredient in quiches and tarts, after all. Add to that the savoriness of the bacon, the caramelized earthiness of the veggies, and the subtle nuttiness of the Gruyère…again, I submit to you, “OMG. OMG. OMG.” I served it with roasted new and sweet potatoes, which crisped up nicely in the oven and added a nice textural counterpoint. We had leftovers, which held up well in the fridge and, reheated, made for a lovely lunch the next day. My husband was utterly thrilled with his eggy treat.
Will I make it again? Without a doubt. It’s worthy of company or could even be great for dinner (I love me some breakfast for dinner).
BRUSSELS SPROUTS and BACON FRITTATA
Serves 6
“There are so many great obvious food combinations—peas and carrots, peanut butter and jelly, tomatoes and mozzarella, and, of course, Brussels sprouts and bacon,” writes Zoe Nathan. “Why fight it if it just works.”
“Frittatas are just as good at room temperature as they are hot out of the oven; if you are entertaining, this is an ideal thing to make early so you can attend to other tasks once your guests have arrived.”
“I love to serve this frittata with an arugula salad tossed with sliced dates, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper, and hand-torn crispy breadcrumbs. And Butter and Herb Potatoes.”
Ingredients:
FILLING
CUSTARD
1. Preheat your oven to 475ºF/240∘C.
2. To make the filling: In a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, sauté the bacon in 2 tsp. of the olive oil and the butter, until browned. Add the onion, 1/2 tsp. of the salt, and the thyme and sauté until soft, about 10 minutes. Add the sliced Brussels sprouts and sauté for about 5 minutes longer, until soft. Transfer the vegetable mixture to a bowl and set aside.
3. Toss the Brussels sprouts leaves in the remaining 1 tsp. olive oil, remaining 1/2 tsp. salt, and the pepper. Set aside.
4. To make the custard: In a mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, crème fraîche, Parmesan, and parsley. Set aside.
5. In a 10-in. (25-cm.) cast-iron or other ovenproof sauté pan, melt the 2 tbsp. butter over medium-high heat. Pour the custard into the pan and stir, lightly scrambling the eggs. Slowly add the vegetable mixture to the custard and continue scrambling. When the eggs are about 30 percent set, sprinkle with the Brussels sprouts leaves, top with the Gruyère, and transfer to the oven for 8 to 10 minutes, until the frittata is cooked through and browned on top. If the frittata doesn’t show signs of browning, place under the broiler for 2 minutes, but watch it like a hawk!
6. Immediately transfer the frittata to a plate by running a spatula around the edges and underneath to free it from the pan. Serve hot or at room temperature.
This keeps well, refrigerated, for up to 3 days.
