My Big Fat Greek Wedding is one of my favorite movies. It has me laughing no matter how many times I’ve watched it. There are many similarities between the Greek and Italian cultures. I really relate to the school cafeteria scene where the girl is eating moussaka for lunch and the kids are making fun of her referring to it as “moose caca.” It brings back childhood memories of the kids at my elementary school poking fun at my lunch too. Only it wasn’t moussaka I was eating, it was frittata – layered between two thick slices of homemade Italian bread. Yep, while the kids at school where eating bologna and pb&j sandwiches, I was eating frittatas – way before it became fashionable to eat authentic Italian cuisine. I didn’t realize how lucky I was back then. I still remember those school cafeteria days whenever I eat a frittata.
The potato frittata is a traditional Sicilian dish and my favorite out of all the vegetable frittatas my mother made. Thinly sliced potatoes fried in olive oil, and layered in a blanket of eggs, cheese, and parsley. Yum. Way better than a bologna sandwich, in my opinion.
Potato Frittata
(Frittata di Patate)
Difficulty Rating: Easy
Makes 4 servings.
Ingredients:
3 large russet potatoes (1 to 1 ¼ pounds)
8 large eggs
2 tablespoons grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon minced fresh Italian parsley leaves
Salt and pepper
Extra-virgin olive oil (about 1/2 cup)
1. PREPARE THE POTATOES: Wash and peel the potatoes. Cut the potatoes, widthwise, into 1/8-inch thick slices.
2. MAKE THE EGG MIXTURE: Whisk the eggs, cheese, and parsley in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste and set aside.
3. FRY THE POTATOES: Heat a thin layer of olive oil in a 10-inch cast iron or non-stick, oven-safe, skillet over medium high heat. Place a single layer of potato slices into the skillet, season lightly with salt, and cook until lightly browned on each side, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate. Repeat frying the remaining potato slices. Leave a thin layer of olive oil (about 2 tablespoons) in the bottom of the skillet after frying the potatoes.
4. ASSEMBLE AND COOK THE FRITTATA: Preheat oven to broil or low-broil. Layer half of the potatoes in the pan. Pour in half of the egg mixture. Add the remaining potatoes and egg mixture. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes over medium-low heat, until bottom is lightly browned and the frittata is partially set.
5. BROIL THE FRITTATA: Place the skillet in the oven on the lowest oven rack. Broil until lightly browned on top, about 5 to 10 minutes, until eggs are completely set. Let sit for a few more minutes before serving.
