Fritatte are a staple in my home, usually made on top of the stove in a skillet and finished off under the broiler or in the oven. Or they can be cooked on one side then gently inverted on a dinner plate. Next, it’s slid back into the skillet (cooked side up) to continue cooking.
However, there are times when I need to prepare dishes the night before so that I can just pop it in the oven in the morning without the fuss or the mess. This recipe fits that need. This flat Italian omelet is delicious even at room temperature (accommodating holiday guests who all get up at different times) and can be enjoyed any time of the day or night.
It’s great picnic food too. Can’t you just imagine sitting under the shade of a grape arbor with a great friend and a good bottle of wine … or is it a good friend and a great bottle of wine?
Ingredients:
- 12 ounces marinated artichoke hearts, drained (2 cups)
- 1/4 cup onions, chopped
- 4 eggs, beaten
- 6 saltine crackers
- 1/2 pound fontina cheese, shredded
- 1/4 cup Italian parsley
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon tobasco sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- Drain artichokes, chop fine or use a food processor and pulse until chopped but not a paste.
- Finely crush crackers. I put them in a plastic freezer bag, seal and use a rolling pin. (No mess)
- In a large bowl combine all ingredients. Mix well. Transfer to a lightly oiled pie pan or 8 x 8-inch oven-proof baking dish. Bake in a 325* oven for one hour. If you’re not going to bake it right away, cover with foil and refrigerate overnight. Remove from frig 30 minutes or so before baking and dispose of the foil.
The pie pan is nice if you’d like to cut the frittata into wedges. I almost always double the recipe and use a 9 x 13-inch Pyrex baking dish. Once it is completely cooled I cut into squares and wrap individually and freeze. Can be used for breakfast, afternoon snack (merende) or quick appetizer. The baking time is the same, check with toothpick inserted in a couple places just to make sure.
**Note Fontina is a mild cheese that melts well. Good substitutions are Gruyere, Swiss , provolone and cheddar.
