The asparagus frittata is a very simple, delicious and very easy dish, which can be cooked either in a pan or in the oven. We can serve it as a side dish, as a rich and tasty main course or as a single-dish meal. Preparing the asparagus frittata is really simple and requires few ingredients; furthermore it is gluten-free. Of course, we can personalize it to our tastes and needs, enriching it from time to time with cured meats, cheeses, sausages, and so on. It’s ideal for quick lunches and dinners, buffets, picnics and, above all, the asparagus frittata can be prepared well in advance. With its inviting aroma and its soft, spongy interior, for me it is a true delicacy.
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Medium
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Cooking time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Spring
Ingredients
- 1.1 lb asparagus (about 17.6 oz (500 g))
- 6 medium whole eggs
- 3.4 fl oz milk (about 1/3 cup (100 ml), can be lactose-free)
- to taste fine salt
- to taste freshly ground pepper
- 1 pinch curry (optional)
- 2 tbsp grated table cheese (or other cheese as desired)
- to taste extra virgin olive oil (for cooking in the pan)
Steps
Bring some water to a boil to blanch the asparagus.
Remove the toughest, woodier part of the asparagus stems and wash them under running water.
As soon as the water boils, add some salt, add the asparagus, cover and wait for the water to return to a boil; from that moment, blanch them for 5 minutes if they are very thin, a little longer if the asparagus are thicker.
After the time has passed, drain them thoroughly, place them on a cutting board and chop them quite coarsely.
In a bowl break 6 eggs and beat them lightly, add the milk, the grated cheese, the pepper, the salt and lastly the chopped asparagus and mix well.
Pan cooking
Heat a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil in a 24–26 cm (about 9½–10¼ in) diameter pan over medium heat on the stovetop.
When the oil is very hot, pour in the egg mixture, cover and lower the heat.
Let the frittata cook for at least 15 minutes, or until the top also appears firm and set, with no trace of liquid mixture left, because it would be very dangerous and scalding when it comes time to flip the frittata.
Carefully, making sure there is no oil in the pan, and wearing oven mitts and potholders, detach the frittata from the pan with a spatula and simply slide it onto a plate.
Then place the pan on the plate and invert it; in this way the frittata will slide back into the pan and will cook perfectly on the side that was previously facing you.
Cook over high heat for about 5 minutes, then turn off the heat.
Oven cooking
Line a 20–24 cm (about 8–9½ in) diameter tart pan (or larger, depending on how tall or thin you want the frittata) with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 392°F.
Pour the mixture into the pan, level it and bake on the middle rack for about 18–20 minutes.
In both cases, let the asparagus frittata cool for about ten minutes before slicing and serving.
Enjoy your meal
