A frittata is simply an omelet that is finished under the broiler. This method gives the egg a hint of smokiness and a firmer texture without burning or drying out the bottom.
Gruyère cheese is a mild, nutty cow’s-milk cheese made in both Switzerland and France. If you can’t find one to your liking, feel free to substitute other mild cheeses such as cheddar or Gouda.
Remember that the wider and shallower the pan, the faster the egg will cook. Serve the frittata with buttered toast on the side or—with a little advance preparation—with Lentil Salad with Cilantro and Spices (page 86) or Chickpea Salad with Red Onion, Red Pepper, and Fresh Cilantro (page 87). It would also be terrific served with latkes (page 107) or a simple Green Salad with Mustard Vinaigrette (page 75) from our cookbook, The Covenant Kitchen: Food and WIne For The New Jewish Table.
This frittata is especially good for brunch, perhaps with a glass of sparkling wine. But eggs pair very well with both white and red wines. The saltiness of the smoked salmon leads us to a cool, crisp white wine. But on a cold winter day, red wine would be our choice.
Smoked Salmon Frittata with Gruyère and Fresh Herbs
Servings
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup diced white onion
- 2 green onions white and green parts, cut into ¼-inch-thick rounds
- 8 eggs
- 1/4 pound smoked salmon sliced into short strips about 1/4 inch wide
- 1/4 pound Gruyère cheese cut into thin, narrow slices
- 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh oregano or 1 tablespoon dried
- Freshly ground pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the broiler.
- In a large, broilerproof skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and green onions and sauté until the white onion is translucent, 3 to 4 minutes.
- Meanwhile, crack the eggs into a large bowl and whisk to blend thoroughly. Stir in the salmon.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low, push the onion to the edge of the skillet, and pour in the egg/salmon mixture, making sure the salmon is evenly distributed throughout the egg. Use a wooden spoon or rubber spatula to spread the onion in the pan throughout the egg. Lay the cheese slices evenly across the top of the egg. Garnish with the oregano. Cook until the bottom of the egg has set, 3 to 5 minutes. The top of the frittata should still be runny.
- Transfer the skillet to the top oven rack directly under the broiler. Cook the frittata until the top sizzles and takes on a golden brown hue, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the oven, cut the frittata into quarters, and serve immediately with freshly ground pepper to taste.
- Excerpted from The Covenant Kitchen by Jeff and Jodie Morgan. Copyright (c) 2015 by Jeff Morgan and Jodie Morgan. Excerpted by permission of Schocken, a division of Random House LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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