A Brunch Staple: Spinach, Tomato and Feta Frittata

Have you ever had a friend decide to “drop by” unexpectedly?  Spontaneous get-togethers are fun, but they also come with stress when faced with the pressure to entertain on short notice.  This happened to me last week when my lunch date with a friend at Panera was changed into a brunch date in my kitchen.  I had to think quickly and be resourceful with the ingredients I already had in the house, as the change of plans left me with no time to get to the supermarket.

I decided to make a frittata because it requires basic ingredients and little preparation time.  Also, it looks like a sophisticated dish that would come out of Ina Garten’s kitchen.

The frittata was baking away in the oven when my guest arrived.  “What are we having?” he asked.  Eager to impress him with my culinary creation, I responded over-enthusiastically with “A frittata with spinach, tomatoes and feta!”  Here’s how the rest of the conversation went:

Guest: “A whatta?”

Me: (slightly offended) “A frittata.  It’s like an omelet, but baked.”

Guest: “Huh, that’s weird.”

My ego instantly deflated.  So much for sophistication.  It was as if I was speaking a different language.  My guest was skeptical as I continued to describe it, but he was pleasantly surprised after his first timid bite.  From there, all language barriers were broken.  His tongue helped to translate the word “delicious,” which is the message I could not get across on my own. 

The whole frittata was eaten, no, devoured that morning.  If that sounds crazy, then I dare you to make this and see if you can resist its fluffy texture and flavorful ingredients!

The original recipe called for egg whites, which is a great way to make the dish more figure friendly, but I decided to use whole eggs to give it more flavor.  The dish is versatile, so make it however you prefer!

Spinach, Tomato and Feta Frittata

Adapted recipe and photos by Julianne Hodges

Original recipe by The Novice Chef

Yield: About 3 servings   Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups fresh spinach, roughly chopped
• 8 eggs
• 2 tablespoons fat free milk
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/3 cup crumbled fat feta cheese
• salt and pepper, to taste
• olive oil or cooking spray to grease dish

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and grease a 9.5 inch round baking dish with olive oil or cooking spray.
2. Pour olive oil in a non-stick skillet and heat over medium flame.  Add the garlic for about 30 seconds and then add the onions, tomatoes and spinach.  Heat this mixture until the spinach is wilted, then remove from heat.
3. Next, whisk the eggs, milk, salt and pepper together in a large bowl.  Carefully stir the cooled spinach and onions mixture into the eggs.
4. Pour the eggs into the greased baking dish and sprinkle the feta on top.  Add more salt and pepper if you like.     
5. Bake the frittata for 15-20 minutes, or until the center is set.  Cool for at least five minutes before serving.

As Ina Garten famously says, “How easy is that?”  If she hasn’t already made a similar dish, I’m sure she will in the future because it is that good.  A Food Network star would gladly endorse this recipe, as every ingredient adds something special to create a deliciously harmonious bite every time. 

For the non-Food Network stars reading this article, you should make this because it is easy to prepare in a pinch and simple enough for everyone to appreciate, despite its sophisticated name.