Potato, Onion, and Pancetta Frittata
Wake Up to Something Tasty
Potato, Onion, and Pancetta Frittata | Dara O’Brien
By Dara O’Brien
Creative Director, Lake Isle Press
I missed a bunch of days of kindergarten because I couldn’t get up in the morning. So many, in fact, that my teacher noted “I hope her attendance improves” on my report card.
It wasn’t that I didn’t like school. I just didn’t like the morning-ness of it. I was born a night person; getting up and getting out was never my strong suit. Once I got out of high school I engineered my life to bypass the early part of the day as much as possible. I took mostly afternoon classes in college, and after graduation I worked nights in bars and restaurants. I steered clear of scheduling whatever I could before noon. And I never ate breakfast.
But somehow or other I fell into work as a copywriter, and at age thirty I found myself in the dreaded position of once again having to rise and shine at an uncivilized hour.
I eventually moved on from that first day job but I didn’t reestablish my late to bed/late to rise habit. While I still struggle to get out of bed at times, I’ve come to embrace the morning, and will often get up earlier than I need to in order to savor the time. And I eat breakfast mostly every day.
We’re adaptable creatures, aren’t we? After three decades of avoiding 7am, I am now more of a morning person than a night owl.
That’s why I chose to make this recipe for a Potato, Onion, and Pancetta Frittata from Toni Lydecker’s cookbook “Piatto Unico” published by Lake Isle Press. I wanted to try it because I really enjoy eggs at the start the day, and it’s made entirely on the stovetop so it seemed simpler and more spontaneous than other frittata recipes. And since it makes just two to three servings, it’s well-suited to solo dining.
I made this recipe several times. Each time, I used two or three slices of bacon instead of pancetta because that’s what I had on hand. I cooked the bacon first then reserved it and used the grease in the skillet to cook the onion and potato, adding a little olive oil as needed. I returned the bacon along with the egg mixture and cheese (Parmesan rather than Asiago). At first I included six eggs and the whole thing almost spilled out of the pan, so the next time I used five eggs with a little water.
When I first attempted to flip the frittata in order to set the top it broke apart into segments. So for the next round, once again I adapted, and finished the frittata by placing it in its oven-proof skillet under the broiler for two or three minutes. It set quickly, browned a wee bit, and stayed in one piece.
The ease and economy of this recipe make it a keeper. The potatoes don’t need to be pre-cooked; they fry in the skillet along with the onions, which are thinly sliced and a little more pronounced than if diced or minced. I didn’t use parsley or spinach, which I am sure would have been good, because I didn’t have any, and it’s still plenty tasty. I also didn’t add the optional tomatoes and balsamic, but I might revisit that over the summer tomato season.
Since this recipe feeds two, I got to cook once, eat twice. Which can be especially helpful if day two is one of those days when, just as when I was in kindergarten, there’s a bit of a slow start to my day.
POTATO, ONION, AND PANCETTA FRITTATA RECIPE
Click here for printable recipe.
Makes 2 or 3 servings
Prep: 15 Minutes | Cook: 25 Minutes
The ease and economy of this recipe make it a keeper.
INGREDIENTS
6 eggs, preferably from cage-free hens
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley or baby spinach
1 teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium boiling potatoes, peeled, diced small
1 medium onion, halved lengthwise, cut into thin wedges
1 to 2 ounces pancetta, diced small
½ cup grated young Asiago, Montasio, or other mild-tasting cheese
Sliced tomatoes drizzled with balsamic vinegar (optional)
PREPARATION
In a small bowl, whisk the eggs with ¼ cup water; add the parsley, salt, and several grindings of pepper.
Melt the butter with the olive oil in a medium (8-inch) nonstick skillet with sloping sides over medium heat; cook the potatoes, onions, and pancetta, stirring from time to time, until nicely browned and the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.
Add the eggs to the pan, tilting to spread evenly. Reduce the heat to medium-low; sprinkle with the cheese and cook until almost set, lifting the edge with a spatula to allow the liquid egg to run under. Cover the pan for a few minutes until the top is set.
Peek under the frittata. If not browned on the underside, raise the heat to medium and cook just long enough to brown it. Loosen the frittata with a spatula; place a platter upside down over the skillet and invert the frittata onto it, browned side up (see Note).
Serve warm or at room temperature, cut into wedges, alone or with sliced tomatoes drizzled with a little balsamic vinegar.
NOTE: After browning the frittata on one side, you can slide it from the platter back into the skillet to brown on the other side.
Recipe from “PIatto Unico” by Toni Lydecker, Lake Isle Press, 2011
POTATO, ONION, AND PANCETTA FRITTATA RECIPE
From “Piatto Unico”
by Toni Lydecker, Lake Isle Press, 2011
“As you have no doubt heard and observed, a real Italian meal consists of several courses. Except when it doesn’t.” —Toni Lydecker
A languorous multi-course Italian meal is a traditional and wonderful thing; in this authoritative collection, Toni Lydecker leads us to the simple beauty of the piatto unico or one-course Italian meal. Well-balanced and packed with bold flavors, the piatto unico pairs the rustic simplicity of great Italian cooking with a modern sensibility.
ALSO FROM “PIATTO UNICO”
Couscous Confetti Salad with Tuna Recipe
Herbed Roast Pork Tenderloin with Parsnip Puree Recipe
Lemony Carrot Marmalade Recipe
Pot Roast with Porcini and Root Vegetables Recipe
Mountain Salad With Bacon, Fontina, and Sweet-Sour Onions Recipe
Orecchiette Al Fumo Recipe
Saffron Risotto Recipe
Spring Greens With Rice Soup Recipe