Frittata di Asparagi (Asparagus Fritatta)

La fritatta is a simple, traditional egg dish which can be enriched with an never ending number of ingredients. This helps to make it one of my favorites to prepare because it allows the possibliy to experiment every time I make it. It is also versatile in that it can be eaten alone, as a side dish, or my favorite, as a sandwich.

In our home, my mother often made a fritatta on Fridays during lent as a source of protein when many Roman Catholics don't eat meat.

Ingredients:

6 eggs

200 grams of asparagus

1 small leek

3 tbsp. butter

3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

3 tbsp. grated parmegian cheese

salt

pepper

Preparation:

Wash the asparagus and break off the white ends. Then place them in salted water in a narrow pot that is tall enough to let them stand up so that their tips are outside of the water and can steam. When the asparagus have cooked, drain them and cut them into small pieces.

Now cut off the roots of the leeks along with the top, dark green part and pull off any outer layers that might be tough or fibrous. When this is done, cut the leek into thin slices, place them with the asparagus, and add some salt and pepper. Melt the butter in a frying pan and cook the vegetables for just a few minutes over a low flame. Don't allow the asparagus to lose a lot of the water it absorbed while boiling. After the vegetables have finished cooking, turn off the flame and allow them to cool down.

Beat the eggs in a bowl and add the parmegian cheese along with some more pepper. Once the vegetables are no longer hot, add them to the mixture.

Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan, add the ingredients, and allow them to cook for 2-3 minutes over a medium flame. Now place a cover over the pan and lower the flame so that the inside of the fritatta will cook through evenly. When the sides have hardened, turn the fritatta over in the pan so that the other side can cook. Once ready, slide it onto a plate, cut it into slices, and serve.

Once you have made your first ever fritatta, feel free to try other preparations. Fritatte di patate (potatoes) is a classic. Just make sure you fry thin slices of potatoes before adding them to the eggs. Other ways might include zucchini, broccoli, or spinach.