Here is one last recipe from my new book Not Your Mother's Casseroles. This is one of the very easiest recipes I know how to make in the oven. This recipe is really just a template for a baked egg dish that comes out creamy and fluffy inside — like a traditional American diner omelet — and that can be filled with anything you like. I call for ham, Parmesan cheese, and parsley here, but you can add anything! And the best part is that this literally takes 5 minutes to throw together.
Some might argue that this isn't an omelet at all (my editor did!) but the reason I call it an "oven omelet" is because it has the same place on the table, and on the plate, as a traditional omelet. It's just eggs (no crust, unlike a quiche) and it's all cooked in the oven (no stovetop/broiler combo, unlike a frittata). It also has a similar texture to an American omelet, and it can be filled with anything you like. So there you are — an oven omelet!
But regardless of what you call it, it's incredibly easy, incredibly fast, and totally foolproof. Just whisk some eggs and milk together, season with herbs and salt and pepper, add some vegetables or meat, and bake.
It also reheats well. I often make a big pan of this at the beginning of the week, and then my husband grabs a slice on his way out the door to work.
Serves 6
10 large eggs
2 cups milk
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup diced cooked ham
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with olive oil or nonstick cooking spray.
2. Beat the eggs in a large bowl and whisk in the milk. Stir in the cheese, diced ham, and parsley. Season with the salt and pepper and pour into the prepared pan. (At this point the casserole can be covered and refrigerated for up to 24 hours.)
3. Bake for 45 minutes, or until the top is slightly golden and a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let cool for 5 minutes before slicing. Serve hot.
• Reprinted from Not Your Mother's Casseroles by Faith Durand. (Harvard Common Press, January 2011)
Related: Make-Ahead Recipe: Crustless Mini-Quiches
(Images: Faith Durand)
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Faith, I am so excited to buy this book. One copy for myself and one for my mother (who makes great casseroles, but could definitely use some new recipes). Thanks for sharing so many recipes with us!
What are some vegetables that would work in this that wouldn't require cooking them on the stove first?
J.C.A.
I make the same thing ALL the time, but call it egg and cheese pie(for my 4 & 6yr. boys delight). Baking at 375 for 45 min. I have added veggies such as; onion, green & red bell pepper, mushrooms, asparagus and even celery. All cook really well in this temp and time. If I have a few extra minutes I will steam a little broccoli in the microwave for about 5-8 min. and add that as well. My family loves this stuff. We use it as a morning, noon and night meal.
I do something similar and just call it no-crust quiche and put it in a round pie plate. It's a great vehicle for all the little odds and ends veggies, cheeses and protein left in the fridge.
I have to say, this week has been such a delight. Yesterday I printed out no fewer than 8 casserole recipes to make at home. I only wish I we weren't heading to the Monterey area this weekend (fogged in for 5 straight days!!!!) so I can start cooking them NOW. Thanks again.
Thanks Gelene! I love making fritattas, but the cooking on the stove part sometimes adds more time than I have, or more effort... :) I'm going to try this soon with the microwaved broccoli!
This morning, I cut this recipe to a single-person serving and it PUFFED!
I'm now calling it the Accidental Souffle. Love it.
Veggies that don't require sauteeing first: mushrooms from a can, frozen chopped spinach, tomatoes (really a fruit), onions if you're OK with them being a little undercooked, peppers ditto, those sweet potato fries that come frozen and you just toss them in the oven
i love it! i do this all the time and call it easy eggs for a crowd. :) it definitely does puff and looks great coming straight out of the oven to your guests. they are very impressed for very little work. my kind of dish. ha.
(i do it with bacon and cheddar, sometimes broccoli too, and it is so good!)
Do you think there's a way to make this a lil healthier like to half and half between eggs and egg whites? I know I also could use skim milk but would these changes make it taste funny??
just a question- the dish in the top photo looks square, but the dish in the recipe is not. Will the recipe work just as well in a square? Thanks
sgnt13,
I'd halve the recipe for an 8"-square pan.
Thanks for sharing this technique. Substituted feta for parmesan and added halved cherry tomatoes, along with the cubed ham and parsley ... and it turned out fab!