The second “B” in B&B means breakfast. We love to prepare special breakfasts made from locally sourced ingredients. One of the favorite breakfast dishes here at Steeles Tavern Manor B&B and Alpine Hideaway Cottages is our Frittata.
Frittata has an Italian background – from the word friggere– roughly translated as “to fry”. Until the 1950’s frittata meant almost any cooked eggs, either fried or baked, that had ingredients added and baked in. Being a 1st generation Italian, my mom made frittatas – not “omelets”. Even though they are similar, she said frittata was the Italian version of an omelet. We often ate frittatas on Sunday mornings. My mom used peppers and onions and sometimes zucchini as the vegetables added to her frittatas. To this day when I am sautéing the peppers & onions for our guests’ breakfasts, it brings back memories of Sunday morning aromas in my Mom’s kitchen.
When preparing a frittata, sauté the veggies first. The veggies can include almost anything from your summer garden – squash, potatoes, onions, zucchini, and even carrots and corn! I like to use the red and green peppers and onion to represent the colors of the Italian flag indicative of my heritage.
Normally a frittata is cooked in the pan on top of the stove then placed in the oven to continue to brown on top and around the edges. This recipe only bakes the frittata in the oven. Because I am busy preparing other things for breakfast (seasonal fruit dishes, special baked goods, roasted rosemary potatoes), baking the frittata works better for me. When served with a side of locally sourced bacon, ham, or sausage patties this breakfast is delicious and hearty.
There are lots and lot of recipes and instructions for preparing frittatas and of course, every chef has their own favorite recipes and cooking methods. One great feature of a frittata is that you can use leftovers baked in the egg mixture and enjoy a wonderful meal. I love my mom’s recipe and our guests really enjoy it too! Here is my favorite recipe for frittatas and a tip or two to help you make it tasty.
Vegetable Frittata
½ medium green pepper, chopped
½ medium red pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2 tablespoons butter
Olive oil
¾ cup tomatoes, diced
¼ cup minced fresh parsley
12 eggs, lightly beaten
½ cup soft (panko) plain bread crumbs
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
2 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese
In a skillet, melt butter over medium low heat. Add some olive oil. Saute the onion and peppers for about 10 minutes, reducing heat to low, until vegetables are tender. Stir in tomatoes. Remove from heat and add parsley. Set aside.
In large bowl, combine remaining ingredients. Stir in reserved vegetables.
Pour into a PAM sprayed 12-inch Frittata pan. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Let stand about 5 minutes before cutting.
8 servings.
**The rule I use is 1 egg per inch of the pan. Therefore, if you use a 9-inch pan, then use 9 eggs.
You don’t have to cook this dish at home; you can make a reservation to stay at Steeles Tavern Manor B&B and Alpine Hideaway Cottages, relax, and have someone else do the cooking. When you make your reservation, mention that you saw this recipe and add a request for frittatas for breakfast. I cannot guarantee that this will be the main dish the morning or your stay, but I will make a breakfast using fresh, local ingredients!
As my mom would say – “Mangia! Mangia!” Eat and enjoy!
Your Innkeeper, Melissa
