Frittata

Kelsey Kitchen Confessional:


deep breath. here goes.
Sometimes, out of nowhere, I get fixated on a particular ingredient or a certain seasoning. So much so that I can't let go of it. I simply can't get it out of my head. I constantly, nonstop think about it. I become a woman obsessed. I Google it. I read about it on websites like: Wiki, yahoo Foods, Foodtv, Allrecipes, eHow, and Serious Eats.


It doesn't stop there.
Oh no. There's more.
Much more.


I pull out my stash of cookbooks, look it up in the index, and scan each recipe that includes whatever it is that I've taken such a liking to. I remember every possible DVRed cooking program I have recorded that mentions it, & I rewatch the episode.


I make lists. I brainstorm like a child in school. I look up and read menus. YES. I look up and read menus from places I think would have good ideas for the usage of whatever it is that I can't (simply can not) stop thinking about.


I purposely form conversations with people asking if they have an interesting or favorite way of preparing the item. This conversation is usually started by me completely changing the subject to what I want to talk about...
which is lately...
the Frittata.


To me, Frittata's snot cousin would be the Omelet.
By origin, an omelet is French and a Frittata is Italian.
I'm not French. Never have been. Never will be.
I'm not Italian. Never have been. Sort of want to be.


Either way, me being me, prefers the frittata. It is unfolded and open, unpretentious and forgiving, and very (VERY) versatile.


Before moving on, channel your inner Giada and over ennunciate the Italian way to say "Frittata." It's fun. Say "free." Now say "free" and roll your "r" when you say it. Put the tip of your tongue on the back of your two front teeth and say "taw-taw." Now, put the two together. "Freee-taw-taw."


The two versions of Frittata, that I have made as of late, are:
1. Broccoli, Red Onion, Garlic.
2. Kraft Cheddar Cheese. Gotta rep the USA.

1st Version

2 Eggs whisked

Broccoli sliced

Red Onion sliced

Garlic very thinly sliced

Butter & Extra Virgin Olive Oil

I get that broccoli can sometimes be less than desired. Caramelized broccoli, however, is very tasty. To achieve successful caramelized results, a flat surface needs to be exposed to hot fat.

Since the stem of a broccoli tree (don't lie, you called it that as a kid too) is round, a knife must be taken to it.

Slice your broccoli so that a flat side is exposed

Basically, slice florets of broccoli so that the stem is no longer round

Bad stem.

Good stem.

Slice your onion into 2-3inch slivers. (Just eyeball it)

Slice your garlic PAPER thin. (or as thin as you can without cutting yourself)

Melt 1Tbl EVOO & 1/2Tbl butter in a nonstick pan over medium heat (add more fat if you please)

Once the butter begins to bubble, add broccoli to caramelize 

While the broccoli gets brown & crispy, whisk your eggs

Browning and crisping the broccoli should take 4 (maybe 5) minutes.

Next add & saute onion, garlic, salt & pepper for a couple of minutes

Then add the whisked eggs

Push the cooked outside-edges into the center of the pan

Let the runny uncooked-insides leak to the outer parts of the pan

Repeat this process around the perimeter of the Frittata until a solid base is formed

Gently shimmy the half cooked frittata onto a plate

Cover the plate with the pan

Flip in one fell swoop

Please excuse my pan's ratty-looking bottom

The unveiling. Drum roll please.

Once exposed, give the pan a little shake so the frittata evenly covers the pan.

Cook for 1 minute more

Flip back out onto a plate for presentation purposes. and TA-DAAA! Frittata!



So I told you that Frittatas are very very versatile. And I meant it. There are endless variations, additions, substitutions, and versions of ways to prepare, eat, serve, and fix this wonder of an egg dish.

Next time, brown potatoes for a Potato Frittata. (or known in Spain as Tortilla de Patatas)

Or make the Frittata exactly as I did, except swap out the broccoli for potatoes.

Want more?
Add chopped chorizo & parsley.



Bored eating with a fork? Cut like a pizza & eat with your hands.



2nd version

No pesky chopping or waiting around for things to caramelize is needed.

More importantly, no veggies are present. It's bad. But in a good way.

Whisk together

2 eggs & 3Tbl of grated Cheddar Cheese

Melt 1TBL butter in a nonstick pan

Add the whisked eggs & cheese

Season with salt

Add a splash of cream if you want. I want.

You know the drill.

Then serve.

Did I mention you can eat Frittatas at anytime of day? Morning. Noon. Night. Afternoon. Twilight. Dusk. Dawn. The Witching Hour. Now. Later. Whenever. 

I'd like to propose a toast. To myself.

cue background music: Lady - Styx

annnd cue Intro.

It does seem like my blog has fallen to the wayside and been put on the back burner. (PUN! love them) However, my dwindling posts have not been intentional. It just seems like I have lost my mojo. But thanks to a recent couple of new followers, there has been a little bit of a boost in my caboose. Pep in my step. Hitch in my giddy-up. (ok, I digress) A little pop in my hop. (can't help myself)

I also want to point out that when I started up this genius masterpiece of work that is blog, my main goal was to accumulate 10 followers. And I did it. It was a real milestone for me. But then, hold the phone. Say it aint so. Could it be? You wouldn't tease a girl, wouldja? Another follower, followed by another, and another, and another... until HOLLLD UP! 20 People Follow My Blog!!

background music slowly fades out.

cue 2nd background song. Kelsey - Metro Station

I don't know what language you speak, but in Kelsey language this pretty much means... you guessed it... I am one bonafide 2-Legit-2-Quit blogger.

So I figure that I better quit slacking and start being
SUPER BADASS.

2nd song fades out

Leads into the 3rd background song. Holiday - Madonna.

...but first. A little celebration is in order.

 That's what I'm talking about.

Flour Tortillas

The difference between these:

And those:

...Is taste. Plain & simple. Homemade tortillas are supple, warm, and a real treat. They are the perfect vehicle for strong and smoky flavors that fajita meat & fixings lend, as well as the perfect accompaniment to rich and sweet flavors like butter or honey. Store bought flour tortillas are good for little. They're best made into quesadillas - fried in oil to mask the sour after taste they leave in your mouth. Yuck. Homemade flour tortillas reign far surpreme to store bought. To fully understand the difference though, one must taste for themselves.

Before moving on, I have to say that in my home, flour tortillas are also known as "bean blankies." I'm a Parks and Recreation fan.

I used Alton Brown's recipe as my main reference:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/flour-tortillas-recipe/index.html


What I ended up using:


A little shy of 2cups all purpose Flour
1teas Kosher Salt
1/3c Crisco
2/3c cold tap water


In a food processor:
Pulse the flour & salt together 5x

Scoop in 1/3c shortening (I eyeballed it & guess-timated what looked to be 5 tablespoons of shortening)

Pulse 10x

The pulsed flour/shortening mixture should look clumpy.

With the blade running, pour in the water

The dough will not be dry. In fact, it should be a splash of water short of being sticky. The dough will feel light. It won't be elastic. It won't need kneading. Despite the dough feeling delicate, there's no need to handle it timidly. Dump it out onto a slightly floured surface. By squishing the dough together with your fingers, the dough will easily come together.

You should be proud of this little accomplishment (that is dough) which required little patience from you, and yet, somehow turned out so sweet & attended to... But keep your swooning at bay. Don't fuss with it. Cover it in plastic wrap (or store in a zip-lock baggy). Leave it be to let rest in peace on your counter for at least an hour.

After an hour or two or three, wake it from its slumber.

Cut the dough into relatively 8 even parts, like so:

Then roll each 1/8th into balls - pinching off small parts from the larger pieces & giving them to the smaller pieces, if necessary.

Because I don't have a tortilla press (hint hint: Birthday/Christmas gift idea), I invented a make shift one with 2 plates & some parchment paper.

Layer like so:

Plate, parchment paper, balled dough, parchment paper, plate, press. Repeat.

A homemade tortilla's worst enemy is dry air. Keep each tortilla covered with a damp paper towel (layering if need be).

Preheat a nonstick or cast iron pan over medium(ish) heat. No oil or cooking spray is needed because the shortening (in the tortilla) is enough to prevent any kind of stickage. The idea is that the tortilla will cook around 3 minutes a side without burning. You know the tortilla is cooking according to plan as the shortening melts & the color of the dough goes from a beige to transparent. Bubbles will form as steam is cooking the tortilla's insides. Take a peak with a spatula on its underside. If you see a few brown spots, that means it's time to flip.

The first is always a bit touch & go. Since the 1st ended up being a little thicker and doughier than I normally like, I decided to roll the rest of the tortillas out with a rolling pin. It didn't take much time or effort since they'd already been flattened. By doing so, I was a lot happier with the rest of the results.

I store the cooked tortillas in a lidded container, separating each tortilla with torn pieces of the parchment I previously used as part of my make shift tortilla press. I diligently keep all tortillas (cooked or uncooked) covered with a damp towel. The only time a tortilla should be uncovered is when it's cooking in the pan.



Continue cooking the rest of the tortillas. Don't worry if one rips or becomes deformed when transferring it from the plate to the pan or vice-versa. The taste won't be compromised.

Once all of the tortillas have been cooked, I (you guessed it) cover them with a damp paper towel. Place the lid on the container & store them in the fridge. Their shelf life is 5 days. They'll last a day if you're lucky.

My favorite way of eating my homemade flour tortillas is with half a scrambled egg, some grated cheddar cheese, and 2 fat scoops of salsa enhanced w/stronger flavorings of garlic, cilantro, and onion.



My. Mouth. Waters.