Noni Carmella's Frittata

My mother-in-law, Carmella, is probably one of the sweetest people I have ever met.  I am very lucky to have a mother-in-law like her.  She was born in southern Italy in a small farm town.  Her family owned a farm and a vineyard.   Family is everything to her, and of course being Italian, one way she shows it is through her food which she is constantly cooking for everyone.  While many Italian-American families have lost the tradition of gathering together on Sundays, she still prepares a three-course meal every Sunday for her family.  She is also an amazing cook, making everything from fresh ingredients usually from her garden and making her own pasta and even cheese.  I will be spending time with her to learn some of her wonderful recipes.  I was lucky enough last Sunday to have her give me the recipe for this delicious frittata.  It is made with eggs, peppers, onions, and potatoes.   You can really use any veggies that you like, though.  Many Italian families make Frittatas.  My grandmother also makes a similar frittata with eggs and potatoes that we call just, "potatoes and eggs."  What I love about my mother-in-law's frittata is that she cooks it all in the oven.  When my father-in-law was diagnosed with high cholesterol years ago, she totally revamped the way she had been cooking.  Like many Italian families, many of her recipes were made with lots of fat and frying.  She decided to change the way she cooked some things so that they would be healthier to eat.  Thus, she makes many of her traditional Italian dishes in the oven.  Her frittata is delicious and easy.  It makes a great lunch or even dinner.  I like to eat it on a fresh, crusty bread.

To make this frittata, first cover a cookie sheet with tinfoil and spray it with cooking spray.  Cut up potatoes, onion, and pepper into small pieces and slices. 

 Cover with a drizzle of olive oil and salt and pepper.  Bake at 450 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked, occasionally tossing the veggies around with tongs so that they cook evenly.  Remove from oven and using tongs spread veggies evenly in the center of the cookie sheet.

In a small bowl, mix together eggs, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. 

 Pour egg mixture over the veggies.

  Cook for 5 minutes until the bottom of the egg mixture is lightly golden brown.  Remove from oven.  Using a spatula.  Cut the frittata into four sections and flip each one over.  Place back in oven and cook for an additional 4-5 minutes until cooked through. 

Definitely not the prettiest thing you will ever make but very yummy.

Carmella's Frittata
(Serves four)

2 potatoes, cut into one inch pieces or slices
1 pepper, cut into thin slices
1 onion cut into thin slices
Olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
6 eggs
1/2 cup of parmigiano regianno cheese

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.  Cover a cookie sheet with tinfoil.  Spray with cooking spray.  Cut potatoes into one inch pieces.  Cut pepper and onion into thin slices.  Spread vegetables evenly over cookie sheet.  Drizzle olive oil over vegetables.  Season with salt and pepper.  Cook in oven for 20-25 minutes until the potatoes are cooked, occasionally tossing with tongs to cook vegetables evenly.  Remove from oven.  Mix together eggs, parmesan cheese, and salt and pepper.  Pour over vegetables on cookie sheet.  Place back in oven and cook for five minutes or until the bottom of eggs becomes light golden brown.  Remove from oven.  Using a spatula, cut the frittata into four sections and flip each one over.  Place back in oven and cook and additional five minutes or until eggs are cooked through.