THE FARMER’S WIFE by Helen Rebanks: Zucchini-Potato Frittata
If you’re looking for an easy lunch dish to use up all of those summer zucchinis and new-season potatoes, this one-pan meal is ideal and delicious. It’s packed with protein and wonderful free-range eggs! I flavor mine with freshly chopped mint leaves from the garden, but any fresh herbs would be nice. I make this frittata regularly. It’s lovely served warm with a side salad, and packs well cold for a picnic.
I chose this frittata recipe to share from The Farmer’s Wife, my memoir about motherhood, food, and love. I make it frequently for visitors to the farm and they love it. The frittata works well for vegetarians, and once you’ve mastered it, you can swap in other ingredients to your taste.
Slice up and serve with a green salad.
-Helen Rebanks
THE FARMER’S WIFE by Helen Rebanks: Zucchini-Potato Frittata
- 9 ounces new potatoes, or other boiling potatoes, such as red potatoes or fingerlings
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion, finely sliced
- 1 large zucchini or 2 small ones, sliced thinly
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 9 large eggs
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- A handful of chopped fresh herbs: parsley, cilantro, or mint leaves
- Heat the oven to 400°F. In a medium pot of boiling salted water, cook the new potatoes for 8 minutes, or until soft when poked with a sharp knife. Drain and set aside until cool enough to handle.
- Meanwhile, in an ovenproof heavy-bottomed 12-inch skillet, heat the oil and sauté the onion for 3 to 4 minutes, or until soft. Scoop the onion out into a dish. Add the zucchini slices and a bit of the butter to the pan and cook for 3 minutes to soften them, turning them occasionally. Cut the cooked potatoes into 1/8-inch-thick slices. Add the rest of the butter, the cooked potato slices, and onion to the zucchini in the pan. Stir the whole mixture together carefully so you don’t break down the potatoes, then cook over medium heat until some of the potatoes have a little color.
- In a medium bowl, crack the eggs and beat together, then add salt, pepper, and the chopped herbs.
- Pour the eggs over the potato, onion, and zucchini mixture and shake the pan gently from side to side to make sure the egg has reached the bottom. Don’t stir, since you don’t want scrambled egg.
- Keep over the heat for 1 to 2 minutes, being mindful not to burn the bottom of the egg. Lift carefully into the oven to bake for 20 minutes, or until the top is puffy and golden brown.
- Let cool slightly, then run a knife around the edge of the frittata and either tip out onto a plate or leave in the pan. Slice up and serve with a green salad. I prefer to serve the frittata warm, but it is also good stored in the fridge and served cold.