While I was away last week, my husband decided to refinish the kitchen cabinets. Then he thought, “Why not do all the cabinets in the whole house?” Those four words nearly always lead to more work than expected. Our simple plan was: Mr. Picky and I would go back East to bring Daughter #1 to camp while my husband drove Daughter #2 to her camp, and when we returned a week later the house would be untouched except for a fresh-looking kitchen. Spoiler: that didn’t happen.
My kitchen — and much of the house — are still in disarray. So I’m a bit bummed because I didn’t get to make and photograph the raspberry-blueberry-yogurt popsicles I’d planned for the Fourth of July. Since returning from Long Island on Friday night, I’ve been living on takeout. Which brings me to a related topic: eating out. I have a hard time finding fresh, seasonal, organic prepared food, even in Manhattan Beach, California. Recently I found myself at Le Pain Quotidien for breakfast twice, Veggie Grill for lunch twice, and Whole Foods for another meal. The cost was eye-opening. How do people eat out all the time? It’s expensive, and getting everyone to agree on a restaurant is often harder than it should be. These past few days have reminded me that cooking at home is usually easier, cheaper, and healthier.
Now to the frittata. I photographed versions of this dish at my house two weeks ago and again at my parents’ last week (two different frittatas). I planned to post the recipe next week, but the surprise cabinet project changed my timeline. A frittata is exactly the kind of meal that supports my anti-takeout stance: eggs are an affordable, versatile, high-quality protein and frittatas are quick to make with whatever you have on hand.
I make frittatas year-round, changing ingredients with the seasons. A swiss chard frittata is one favorite; another is this Summer Garden Frittata, inspired by zucchini blossoms and tender summer zucchini from the farmers’ market. It’s a celebration of garden and market produce, and my family devoured it. Zucchini blossoms are optional but pretty and delicately flavored. If you find blossoms without attached zucchini, those are the male flowers — they don’t produce fruit, so why not use them in the kitchen?
Summer Garden Frittata
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Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons unrefined, cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil + additional
- 1 bunch scallions, trimmed and sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, sliced thinly
- 3 medium zucchini, about 1 pound, ends trimmed and sliced thinly by hand or with a food processor
- Fine grain sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 8 large eggs
- ¼ cup chopped fresh basil leaves
- ½ cup ricotta, goat cheese, or feta, optional; feta used in photos
- 5-6 zucchini blossoms, optional; I used 4 large ones
- ½ cup cherry tomatoes or 2 Roma tomatoes, sliced
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 375°F. In a 10-inch skillet, warm the olive oil and sauté the scallions until softened. Add the sliced garlic and cook about 1 minute. Add the zucchini, season with a generous pinch of salt, and sauté until tender, about 6 minutes.
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In a large bowl, beat the eggs with the basil, 1 teaspoon of salt, and a few grinds of black pepper. Stir the cooked zucchini mixture into the eggs until combined.
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Return the skillet to medium heat and add a little extra oil if needed. Pour in the egg and zucchini mixture. Arrange zucchini blossoms on the surface or chop and scatter them. Dollop spoonfuls of ricotta (or chosen cheese) and place cherry tomato halves around the frittata. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake until the frittata is firm, about 40 minutes.
Notes
Alternatively, cook gently over medium-low heat, covered, until slightly set on the bottom (15–20 minutes). Finish under the broiler until the top is puffed and golden, 3–5 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.
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