Eggs are the original fast food, as far as I’m concerned. I have been reasonably successful in cooking other things too lately, but that doesn’t mean that eggs don’t continue to make a regular appearance on our table (often shortly after they make their appearance in our backyard chicken coop). Here’s the glorious thing about an egg: treated properly, it elevates any hodgepodge of leftover vegetables into a meal. Think of those chard stems!
So odds and ends often end up in little single-serving frittatas around here. To anyone who thinks they don’t have time to cook, I say, get an 8″ cast iron skillet. Two eggs, a few generous handfuls of vegetables, a pinch of salt and your meal is ready in ten minutes. And you know as well as I do that eggs aren’t just for breakfast. Fancy them up like this and you can serve them for any meal of the day.
The usual rule applies: use what you have. I was working with leftovers from that arugula salad I kept making, but you might have other tidbits in your fridge. The eggs cook quickly, so you’ll want to briefly cook most of the other ingredients first, then add the eggs. I usually cook the veggies, add the eggs for a few minutes, sprinkle a bit of cheese on top, and then broil the pan for minute or two to set the eggs. Fresh herbs are nice sprinkled on top after cooking (basil would have been perfect here if I had it). Usually I’d say to avoid wet ingredients like tomatoes on top of a frittata, but this little one cooks so fast that they don’t have time to melt into a juicy mess.
So keep this little preparation in mind. Next time you find yourself considering a fast food order, see if you have an egg handy first.
Tomato and Mozzarella Frittata with Greens: Start by tossing half a finely-chopped onion in your pan with a bit of olive oil and a pinch of salt. When it is tender, roughly chop a few big handfuls of greens (I used arugula and baby kale) and add them to the pan, sauteeing until tender. Beat two eggs in a small bowl with a spoonful of water and a pinch of salt, then pour eggs over the greens and stir once to distribute evenly. Cook over medium heat for a few minutes, until the eggs begin to brown underneath, then top with a handful each of chopped fresh mozzarella and halved cherry tomatoes. Broil 1-2 minutes, until the eggs are just set.
Emmy Cooks 
That looks delicious – so packed full of good food :)
I like a high ratio of veggies to eggs; it’s almost like a salad within a frittata. :)
Now I’m really hungry!
Luckily you can have your meal ready in 10! :)
Looks amazing Emmy!!
Thanks, Shira! I think of this as a little more (vegetables) and a little less (eating out) kind of meal. :)
Looks so gooood!
Thanks–enjoy!
Excellent advice! The last thing I would think about when looking at the photo of that fritata is fast food; it looks like hand-crafted artisan food to me!
Tricky, huh? You can fool guests that way, too. :)
I must make this ASAP!
It was SO nice to meet you this weekend in person. I look forward to crossing paths (and sharing your secret wine in coffee cups) again! :)
Sadly, our few older hens are not laying. We even had to (gasp!) buy eggs this weekend. You’re right: they make such a great, fast meal
Oh, I know, that happens. Good thing they’re so cute! There was an article recently, I think in the NY Times, about Portland’s busy trade in “rehoming” chickens. (Which for some people means into the soup pot, but for others it apparently means to a luxe chicken retirement community.) :)
Adore it! Looks fantastic. Those melty pieces of mozzarella make me swoon.
I always wonder about people who say that it takes too long to cook at home. What could be faster (and better for you) than eggs? And cleaning cast-iron is a cinch too. Just scrub with salt and a paper towel Done!
I seriously love my cast iron pans. They are the stars of the show in my kitchen!
Packed full of good food is right, and so easy. We are all without excuse :) Looks lovely!!
Are you kidding? I’ve got a million excuses! But I prefer to use the “I picked up Thai food because I love it so much” one instead of the “I ordered pizza because I’m too tired to cook” one–this recipe is for those latter occasions. :)
yum! i will try it!
Right on. If you come over here I will even make it for you! :) xo