Sweet Red Pepper and Potato Frittata

From the book The Basic Gourmet by Diane Morgan, Dan Taggart, Kathleen Taggart, and Georgia Vareldzis

Serves

4

Introduction

Frittatas are perfect ways to use up little bits of refrigerator odds and ends and still wind up with something rather elegant to eat. To make a frittata, one simply assembles an appealing mix of ingredients in a frying pan (preferably nonstick) and pours beaten eggs over those ingredients. A little heat from the stovetop, a little heat from the broiler, and good food happens!

Ingredients

	2	russet pototes (6 to 8 ounces each) or leftover potatoes (see Cook’s Note’s)
	~	Salt, as needed
	¼	cup olive oil
	1	medium-size red or yellow onion (about 5 ounces), peeled and cut into 1-inch dice, layers separated
	1	red bell pepper, seeded, deveined, and cut into 1-inch dice
	6	large eggs
	¼	tsp. hot pepper sauce
	~	Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
	½	cup chopped fresh basil leaves
	1	cup chopped fresh parsley leaves

Steps

1. Peel potatoes and cut into 1-inch dice. Place them in a 2-quart saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, add 1 teaspoon salt, reduce to a simmer, and cook, partially covered, until potatoes are barely tender when pierced with a fork. Drain, immediately cover with cold water to stop the cooking, and allow to sit in the cold water about 3 minutes. Drain well.
2. Position an oven rack about 6 inches below the broiler element or flame and preheat broiler.
3. In a 10-inch frying pan with ovenproof handle, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and bell pepper. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until vegetables have softened but are not wilted, about 3 minutes. While vegetables cook, crack the eggs into a medium bowl; using a fork, beat with pepper sauce, ½ teaspoon salt, pepper, basil, and parsley.
4. Reduce heat to medium, add potatoes, and cook several minutes until warmed through—try one. Turn heat down to medium low and pour egg mixture into pan. Cook without covering or stirring until egg mixture looks like it is about to set on top (it should quiver a little when you shake the pan.) Then place pan under broiler until frittata puffs a little and browns. Remove pan from broiler, let stand 1 or 2 minutes, and serve in wedges from the pan.

Notes

• Variations are unlimited. Simply remember to sauté raw foods before adding precooked foods, which just need warming. Frittatas are good at room temperature, too.
• If you have leftover cooked potatoes, peel them if you wish—you don’t have to—and cut into 1-inch dice. Bring to room temperature before adding to the pan.
• Using a nonstick frying pan will make serving the frittata easier.

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