Frittatas are my go-to lunch when I want a simple quick lunch or dinner and I am longing for some eggs! There are a few other suitable ingredients in the refrigerator, such as cream and a variety of cheeses, a tomato or 2, some spring onions, a zucchini, chili, bacon and lemons. Last Sunday, I had a smoked trout bought from the market on Saturday, some dill, and some spinach. So, instead of a bacon, tomato and cheese frittata, I made up this one and I thought you may like to try it too. I also added some avocado, which I liked but Michael did not. Some people think avocado becomes bitter when cooked, but the lemon juice balanced the flavours for me. As you can see from my photo…I had nothing for the garnish and so it does not look as pretty as I usually like!
Ingredients:
Half a leek, roughly chopped
3 large spring onions, roughly chopped
Half a deseeded red chilli
1 medium zucchini with skin on and grated
6 large eggs
150ml double cream
250g grated cheddar cheese
50g crumbled feta
250g of smoked trout
Handful of baby spinach leaves
Half an avocado, sliced
Small handful of fresh dill to garnish
Juice of half a lemon
Sea salt freshly cracked pepper
Method:
Generously butter a 23cm ovenproof tart or pie dish.
Preheat oven to 180℃, fan-forced.
For the filling: add the leek, spring onions and chilli to a blender and pulse until roughly chopped, then set aside.
Cut the zucchini into 8 cm lengths, and grate lengthways into a bowl, add to the ingredients above.
Roughly tear the spinach leaves removing any thick stalks and set aside.
Add 6 eggs into the tall blending jug and use the whisk attachment to mix until pale and frothy. Add the salt and pepper then pour in the double cream and whisk until combined.
Grate the cheese and set aside.
Remove the skin from the trout. With a sharp knife, and carefully lift off the flesh from either side of the fish’s backbone, leaving the bones on the skeleton. Double-check for any fine, tiny bones and remove them. Break the fish flesh into rough bit-sized pieces about 4cm long, and set aside.
To assemble the frittata: scatter the chopped onions, leek, chilli and zucchini mix onto the base of the tart dish and spread evenly.
Evenly distribute the baby spinach, avocado, if using, and trout pieces over the vegetable mix.
Pour over the egg mixture, making sure it settles around the filling. It is best to pour intermittently to allow the mixture to settle, tap the tin gently to help.
Distribute the grated cheese and crumble the feta over the top and place the frittata on a baking tray.
Bake in the preheated oven for 30 – 40 minutes. After 20 minutes, check and if you find the top is browning too quickly, loosely place a piece of baking paper.
When baked, the frittata will be golden and the centre will be just a little wobbly, when tested with a skewer. Cool a little before serving, to allow the eggs to continue cooking and set a little more.
Serve with a squeeze of lemon juice, some chopped dill and a fresh garden salad.
For making this as a quiche with pastry:
250g shortcrust pastry
Roll out the pastry: using two large pieces of baking parchment, place the pastry onto one lightly floured piece, then lightly dust the pastry with flour before placing the second piece of parchment on top. Use a rolling pin on top of the parchment to roll the pastry until it will cover the bottom and sides of your tin. Line the tin with the pastry, making sure you have an overhang on each side.
To blind bake the pastry: take one sheet of the baking parchment and place it over the pastry, pushing it in around the sides, then place baking beans on top and blind bake for 15 minutes. Remove the baking beans and set them aside.
Continue as above.