1 of 2
Photo by William P. Edwards/iStock
2 of 2
Cast-iron cookware offers a lot of versatility in the kitchen, great to use as cooking tools and serving pieces. They need just a little special care—see the tips below.
Photo by Belinda Smith-Sullivan
SERVES 4–6
6 eggs
¼ cup milk
Salt and pepper, to taste
½ teaspoon dried basil
⅛ teaspoon hot sauce
2 tablespoons olive oil (more, if needed)
1 small red onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
2 cups fresh broccoli, chopped into small florets
2 cups fresh baby spinach
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
Precooked ham or bacon (optional)
Precooked diced potatoes (optional)
½ cup Swiss cheese, grated or shredded
Preheat oven to 375 F. In a medium-sized bowl, combine eggs, milk, salt, pepper, basil and hot sauce. Set aside. In a 9- or 10-inch cast-iron or ovenproof skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat, and saute the onion and broccoli 3 to 5 minutes. Add spinach and mushrooms, and cook an additional 3 minutes, stirring gently. (Add olive oil, if needed.) If desired, add precooked meat and/or potatoes at this time. Reduce heat to medium-low, and add egg mixture. Cook until the edges of the egg mixture start to separate from the sides of the pan, about 5 minutes. Do not stir. Add cheese to the top of the frittata and put in pan in the oven. Cook for 10 minutes or until the eggs are set.
_____
Recipe tips
What is a frittata, and what’s in it? A frittata is a flat, Italian-style omelet, usually made in a cast-iron skillet. It is started on the stovetop and finished in the oven. The basics are eggs and cheese; after that, you can add anything you want, including a variety of vegetables, precooked meats and potatoes. A frittata is an excellent dish for feeding a breakfast or brunch crowd.
Care and seasoning of cast-iron cookware
- Never soak or wash your cast iron with soap—rinse with hot water immediately after cooking.
- To remove burned-on food, use coarse salt and a nonmetal brush.
- To prevent rust, dry the skillet thoroughly and lightly coat with cooking oil.
- To season a cast-iron piece, coat it with cooking oil and bake in a 350-degree oven for an hour.