:::Potato and Pepper Frittata:::

Here is the recipe for the first frittata that I ever made. I was a quiche person before this foray, but afterward I became a committed frittata person (I don't like pie crust, I think it's distracting waste of calories and fat in an egg dish). I think I made this four or five times in a row over the next two weeks because I loved it so much.

Even though I discovered this years ago, I'm sharing it with you now because...I don't know. Who cares. It's by Lidia Bastianich. I copied the text below from some random website. You can see an image of the recipe in the cookbook Lidia's Italian-America Kitchen here. I'm unmotivated to type that version out for you, sorry. The only differences are stylistic.

Potato and Pepper Frittata

Frittata di Patate e Peperoni

This simple and satisfying dish, can be made even simpler by using a leftover baked potato instead of boiling a potato as a starting point. A cast iron skillet is perfect for making the frittata, but filled with frittata and right out of the oven it is a hot and heavy handful. Work with two heavy oven mitts or pot holders when lifting the frittata from the oven. And take a tip from restaurant kitchens: leave one of the pot holders or mitts draped over the skillet handle as a sign to all that the handle is very hot.

Makes 6 servings

1 large (about 10 ounces) Idaho potato

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 onion, cut into 1/2-inch strips

1 each, red and green bell pepper, cored seeded and cut into 1/4-inch slices

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

12 eggs

1/3 cup heavy cream

1 1/3 cups cubed (1-inch) day old bread

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Place the potato in a medium saucepan and pour in enough cold water to cover by at least 4 inches. Bring to a boil and boil until the potato is tender, about 25 minutes. Remove and let stand until cool enough to handle. Peel the potato and cut into 1/2-inch slices.

Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a 10-inch cast-iron or non-stick ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until wilted, about 4 minutes. Add the peppers and cook until and crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Season well with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat, add the sliced potato to the skillet and set aside to cool.

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Beat the eggs, heavy cream and salt and pepper to taste in a large bowl. Add the bread cubes and let soak until softened, about 15 minutes. Fold in the vegetable mixture.

Wipe out the skillet and place it over medium heat. Add the butter and remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the skillet and heat until the butter is foaming. Add the egg mixture to the pan and cook, without stirring, just until the bottom is lightly browned, about 5 minutes. There should be a few bubbles at a time around the edges- any more than that means the frittata is cooking too quickly and the bottom will be too brown. In that case, remove the skillet from the heat, reduce the heat and let the skillet sit a minute or two before returning it to the heat.

Transfer the frittata to the oven and cook just until the center is set – firm to the touch – about 25 minutes. If the edges are set and beginning to brown before the center is set, remove the frittata from the pan and finish the frittata under a preheated broiler.

If you’d like to serve the frittata hot, let it stand at room temperature about 15 minutes; if you prefer it warm or at room temperature, let it stand longer. Shake the pan gently to free the bottom of the frittata.

Either serve the frittata directly from the pan, or invert it onto a serving platter as follows: Hold a plate larger than the width of the skillet upside down over the frittata. Working with oven mitts or a dry cloth, firmly clamp the plate and skillet together and invert them in one quick motion. Slowly lift the skillet from the plate.