RECIPE: Festa della Mamma & Veggie Frittata

Auguri, mamme! Yes, it's Mother's Day in America, as well as many other countries around the globe. And while mothers are revered the world over, Italy is known for having huge ties to, and love for, its mothers. Perhaps it all started with the Madonna? A quick pondering of the Italian vernacular reveals that sayings like "mamma mia!" and "Madonna!" are still very much in everyday use, and that "mammone" are a very real Italian phenomenon -- "mamma's boys" who live at home well into their forties while their mothers continue to cook their meals and do their laundry. I'll hold my tongue on the culture of men and their mothers in Italy, and simply offer up the recipe below...

It's a vegetable frittata, one of many simple-but-satisfying meals that's vegetarian-friendly, and can be prepared for a brunch just as easily as it could for dinner (which is actually when most Italians eat frittate). 

And what could go more perfectly with this easy meal than a "Mammosa": a mother's day version of a mimosa, here made with prosecco instead of champagne, and orange juice (try blood orange juice for a Sicilian twist).

Auguri, mamma!

Vegetable Frittata

(for 6 people)

Feel free to use any seasonal vegetables you have on hand in this recipe. It's nice to have a variety so the end result is colorful.

 

Pat of butter

10 eggs

½ cup whole milk

¼ cup parmigiano cheese

2 cups broccoli florets

1 red pepper, cut into strips

2 small onions, thinly sliced

1 TBSP olive oil

Salt and white pepper, to taste

-Par boil the broccoli and red pepper strips and shock in ice water.

-Saute the onions in a pan with a little olive oil, until translucent and lightly browned. Set aside.

-In a bowl, whisk the eggs with the milk, parmigiano cheese,  and a touch of salt and pepper.

-Grease a glass pyrex rectangular pan with the butter, or melt butter in a round frittata pan or cast iron pan.

-Put the vegetables into the pan, and pour the egg mixture on top of them. Mix to get the vegetables evenly spread throughout.

-If cooking in a pan, fluff the eggs over low heat as they cook (like scrambled eggs) and then let them set .

-Place into a 350 degree oven for about 25-35 minutes, until the eggs are set on top and the whole frittata has puffed up a bit.

-Remove from oven and let cool; cut into slices or squares or portion as you like.