The Frittata- A Bacon and Potato Omellette

Eggs are excellent for any meal and one of the things I love the most about them is their ability to work as a canvas with almost any ingredient in an omelette or as the Italians and Spaniards call them, a frittata.  Almost weekly, I gather up the leftovers in the frig and pantry and come up with a unique frittata that never tastes exactly the same, but makes a fantastic meal.
Consider the recipe below as a loose template to be altered according to what you've got lying around. You can substitute cooked pasta and rice for the potatoes, and cooked greens for the raw. Play around with different cheeses, or skip them altogether. Have fun with it and Enjoy!

Makes 4 servings


8 large eggs
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil, parsley, or tarragon
3 tablespoons grated parmesan
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 slices bacon, chopped
1 pound potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 small onion, or more to taste, chopped
2 garlic cloves, or more to taste, chopped
2 to 3 cups spinach or arugula, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup chopped roasted peppers, or to taste
3 ounces sliced Provolone (5 to 6 slices), optional

Special equipment:
10-inch heavy ovenproof skillet, preferably nonstick or cast-iron; heat-proof rubber spatula


Preheat broiler.

Whisk together eggs, basil, parmesan, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl.

Cook bacon in a 10-inch heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring, until crisp. Transfer bacon with a slotted spoon to a large bowl then pour off all but 2 tablespoons fat.

Add potatoes and 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper to skillet, and sauté over medium-high heat until golden, about 3 minutes. Cover skillet and continue to cook over medium-low heat, stirring a few times, until potatoes are just tender, about 3 minutes more. Transfer the potatoes with a slotted spoon to bowl containing the bacon.

Add 1 tablespoon oil to skillet and sauté onion and garlic over medium-high heat until pale golden, about 4 minutes, then add spinach and sauté until just wilted.

Gently add the potatoes and bacon, the roasted peppers, and remaining tablespoon oil into onion mixture, spreading it evenly.

Pour egg mixture evenly over vegetables and cook over medium-high heat, lifting up cooked egg around edges with a heat-proof rubber spatula to let uncooked egg flow underneath, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and cook, covered, until it appears mostly set, with a moist top and center, 3 to 5 minutes more.

Remove lid. If using Provolone, broil frittata 5 to 7 inches from heat until set, but not browned, 1 to 2 minutes, then top with an even layer of cheese and continue to broil until browned and bubbling, 1 to 3 minutes (watch carefully).

If skipping the cheese, broil frittata until the top is lightly browned, 1 to 3 minutes (making sure it doesn't burn).

If using a nonstick skillet, slide the frittata onto a serving plate. If using a cast-iron skillet, cut and serve wedges directly from the skillet.  Serve hot and Enjoy!