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Recipe: Lemon Frittata with Leeks and Goat Cheese

2009_02_25-Fritt.jpgLemon? In a savory egg dish? Why yes - it works beautifully here. In fact, we find the flavor of the lemon to be so nice that we didn't mind the absence of butter and meat in this quick frittata.

 
 

2009_02_25-Frittata.jpgA frittata is a great make-ahead breakfast. You can cut it into squares or wedges and grab it on the go. We've kept them in the fridge as long as five or six days, nibbling away, and it works great. We did find that the lemon flavor in this particular recipe faded a bit after the third day, so it's best to eat it a little quicker.

2009_02_25-Fritt02.jpgLemon Frittata with Leeks and Goat Cheese
makes 1 10-inch frittata

7 eggs
1 Meyer lemon, zested
3 ounces goat cheese
Olive oil
2 large leeks, cut lengthwise and rinsed
1/3 cup Italian parsley, chopped
Salt and fresh ground black pepper

Pre-heat the broiler. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until slightly bubbly and well-mixed, then stir in the lemon zest. Crumble in the goat cheese.

Heat about a tablespoon of olive oil in a deep skillet over medium heat. It can be cast iron or another metal; just make sure it can go in the oven. Trim the leeks of any dry or browned edges on the green tops, then slice the remaining stalk into half moons. Toss everything into the skillet and cook, stirring frequently, for about ten minutes or until the leeks are softened. Stir in the parsley and cook just until wilted. Remove from the heat and add salt and pepper to taste. Let cool for just a minute or two, then pour the cooked leeks into the bowl with the eggs and stir.

Put the skillet back on the heat and film lightly with just a bit more olive oil. Pour the egg and leek mixture in and cook over medium heat for about 10-15 minutes, or until the frittata has mostly set. Use a spatula to lift up the edges and make sure it's cooking evenly, letting the uncooked eggs run down into the bottom of the pan.

When the frittata has set, put under the broiler for 3-5 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and slightly puffy. Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Flip out onto a platter and serve immediately.

Related: Recipe Review: Zucchini-Potato Frittata

(Images: Faith Durand)

Comments (7)

Looove fritattas. Eggs are one food my kid's always guaranteed to eat, and adding savoring things to them for dinner are a great, cheap way to get dinner done quickly.

posted by meleyna on February 25th 2009 at 2:08pm
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Oh, fritattas are wonderful, especially when recessions role around (all you need are eggs and leftovers)! ; - )

My personal favorite is the onion and thinly sliced potato fritatta:

http://www.scordo.com/blog/2008/12/recipe-onion-and-potato-fritta.html

From what I understand, most fritattas are made with whatever leftovers you have in the fridge. So, I've also made them with prosciutto di palma ham, escarole, etc.

I've also made fritatta with left over angel hair pasta (very popular in Sicily), here's some photos from a guest entry I did on Katheats:

http://www.katheats.com/page/2/

Enjoy

Vince from Scordo.com

posted by Scordo.com on February 25th 2009 at 2:27pm
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Lemon, goat cheese & leeks are my frittata & crepe trinity. They compliment one another perfectly -- so tangy & bright!

On a technical note: what is the correct spelling of 'frittata?' I see both spellings, 'frittata' & 'fritatta,' frequently. Which is it?

posted by cloves and cream on February 25th 2009 at 3:22pm
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The dictionary only lists the first spelling, so I think it's often misspelled. It's from the Italian, too, and the pronunciation implies the double "t" in the middle.

posted by faith on February 25th 2009 at 3:30pm
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I'll have to try this combination as I've never thought of using lemon in an egg dish before. Thanks for the inspiration .

posted by rosebud on February 25th 2009 at 4:04pm
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What a delicious sounding combo. Can't wait to try it out.

posted by Kalinda on February 26th 2009 at 2:00pm
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I made this last night, thinking that it would be good to bring in to an office coffee hour Friday, but it was way too much parsley and leek. I recommend cutting back on both and watching carefully while under the broiler. Three minutes had little effect and after 4 minutes, it was too dark. I'll make it again tonight, and I added zucchini, which was nice. Maybe some pancetta this time too.

Further Reflections on Parsley
by Ogden Nash

Parsley
Is gharsley.

posted by MQuinnSweeney on February 26th 2009 at 4:42pm
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