Artichokes Frittata

Frittata di Carciofi

Here, in Italy we eat a lot of artichokes, we love them! Now, around Easter, you find artichokes everywhere. If they are fresh, tender, and cooked the right way, they will taste great. This frittata is one of the most popular recipes with artichokes and the recipe is also in my book Simply Frittata.

 

Preparation time: about 20 minutes
Cooking time: about 15–20 minutes
Class: economy, very healthy

Serves: 2–3

Ingredients:

4–5 fresh artichokes
1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped
½ cup (120 ml) warm water
1 tbsp. freshly minced parsley
Salt (about ¾ tsp. total)
6 eggs
6 tbsp. grated Parmigiano Reggiano (or Grana Padano) cheese
3 oz. (80 ml) cottage cheese

Method:

1. Wash the artichokes thoroughly with cold tap water. Remove the leaves from the outside of each artichoke until you arrive at the pale inner leaves. Using a large knife, cut off the top of the artichokes and throw it away. Then peel the base and remove any residual hard parts of the leaves. Cut each artichoke in half lengthwise, remove the purple leaves and the hairs (if there are any) that cover the heart, and finely slice them.

2.In a large pan, sauté the garlic in extra virgin olive oil and add the artichokes, warm water, parsley, and a pinch of salt. Cover and cook about 15 minutes or until the artichokes are tender. Turn off the heat (make sure the water has evaporated) and set aside.

3. Meanwhile, in a bowl, lightly beat the eggs, add Parmigiano cheese, ½ tsp. of salt, cottage cheese, and artichokes. Mix well.

4. Heat a large, nonstick, oiled skillet,[1] and pour in the egg mixture. Shake the pan gently or use a spatula to distribute it evenly over the surface. Cover and cook the frittata on low heat for a few minutes until the bottom is light golden-brown[2] and the top has started to firm up. Then flip onto a large lid and slide it back into the pan to cook the other side.

5. Slide onto a serving plate and serve with toasted or hard bread.[3]

 

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[1] Some people find it easier to use a smaller skillet to make 2–3 frittatas instead of 1 large one.

[2] You can check by lifting the edge of the frittata with a fork.

[3] You may need to season with salt.