It’s Dinner Time--Break an Egg, Kid

In our house, eggs appear a lot more often on the dinner table than at breakfast. One of our favorite egg dishes is a frittata. It makes a deliciously simple meal at the end of a busy day.

I often use whatever I have on hand to make a frittata. For instance, for the following recipe I just happened to have some leftover cooked rice in the refrigerator. But if there isn’t any rice on hand, I might substitute small cubes of potato fried in olive oil until browned.

Use leftover cooked broccoli or cook some from scratch. If broccoli isn’t on hand, use sauteed sliced mushrooms, slivered red and green peppers and lots more onion. I also like frittata with bits of cooked bacon, slivered ham or cooked crumbled sausage.

A frittata is similar to an omelet, but a little easier to master. The major difference is that for a frittata the filling is stirred into the eggs, but for an omelet it is spooned onto the set eggs, which are then carefully folded over and around the filling, a much trickier technique.

I like to serve a frittata with thick slices of toasted Italian bread and a salad of tomatoes, olives and celery. For dessert, serve fresh fruit. Right now our fruit bowl is filled with ripe juicy fresh pears. Perfect.

BROCCOLI, RICE AND PARMESAN FRITTATA

2 to 3 cups (about 1 bunch) chopped broccoli

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 cup diced red bell pepper

1 clove garlic, crushed

1/4 teaspoon crushed hot red chile

1 cup (about) cooked rice

3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

6 to 8 eggs

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Place vegetable steamer over 1 inch boiling water in large broad pan with tight-fitting lid. Add broccoli and steam, covered, about 8 minutes or until tender. Remove and reserve.

Heat oil in 10-inch nonstick skillet with flame-proof handle. Add red bell pepper and cook, stirring, until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and chile and cook 30 seconds.

Add cooked rice and broccoli along with 1 1/2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese. Cook, stirring gently, just until blended and heated through.

Whisk eggs and remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese in bowl until frothy. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.

Heat rice mixture over high heat until pan is very hot. Stir in eggs all at once and let cook, over medium-high heat just until they begin to set, about 1 minute. Lift edges of frittata and let some uncooked egg flow under set part. Cook about 4 minutes over medium heat.

Meanwhile, preheat broiler. Cover handle of skillet with foil if it isn’t flame-proof. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over top. Place skillet under broiler about 3 inches from heat and broil just until cheese melts and eggs are set, about 3 minutes.

To serve, loosen edges with thin flexible spatula. Slide frittata onto platter and cut into wedges. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Makes 4 servings.

Each serving contains about:

286 calories; 318 mg sodium; 333 mg cholesterol; 16 grams fat; 20 grams carbohydrates; 17 grams protein; 0.59 gram fiber.

CHERRY TOMATO, CELERY AND BLACK OLIVE SALAD

1 pint cherry tomatoes

1 cup sliced celery

1/2 cup halved and pitted Kalamata olives

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

Dash dried oregano

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Wash, stem and halve cherry tomatoes. Combine tomatoes, celery and olives in serving bowl. Sprinkle with olive oil, vinegar, oregano and salt and pepper to taste. Mix gently.

Makes 4 servings.

Each serving contains about:

91 calories; 478 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 8 grams fat; 6 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram protein; 1.18 grams fiber.