Zucchini frittata

Objective: Use on-hand items to create a toaster oven frittata

Inspiration: Avec Eric’s Get Toasted Zucchini Mint Parmesan Frittata recipe

Cooking can be a miracle. Take the humble egg for instance. Depending on the mood, budget, or calorie count, a person can do just about anything with this little gem. I started experimenting with eggs and frittatas several years ago, thanks to a Weight Watchers recipe; later, I discovered a small book called The Cookbook for Poor Poets and realized that a frittata could be made with just about anything that happens to be in the refrigerator.

While researching toaster-oven cookery this week on the Internet, I ran across some wonderful videos on the Avec Eric website. He includes a zucchini mint frittata under the Get Toasted section, and I immediately wanted to try it. My version, which serves two, doesn’t have mint or parmesan cheese because I had dried oregano and a Colby-jack mix on hand and used those instead. If you are cooking for one or two, as I am, this makes a lovely yet very affordable meal.

Ingredients: Eggs: 2 whole, 3 whites; two handfuls of julienned zucchini; 1/2 to 1 cup of Colby-jack cheese; oregano, salt, and pepper to taste; a splash of milk.

Preheat your toaster oven to 400 degrees. Beat everything but the zucchini together (the splash of milk is supposed to make the eggs fluffier). When you are happy with your spices and cheese ratio, add the zucchini. (I used about half of one which was chopped up the night before.) Mix a little more. Split the mixture evenly between two individual casserole dishes.

Place in your toaster oven. The original recipe calls for baking one for eight minutes, but my two required 12 minutes. The middle was a bit softer than I prefer, so I might add another minute. I think it must depend on the toaster oven and the cook’s preference for hard- or soft-cooked eggs.

Et voilà! A great dish for about $1.00 per person. I served it up with two small Pioneer Buttermilk Pancakes, a cup of milk, and the rest of my morning coffee. The other zucchini frittata waits patiently in the refrigerator.

Happy eating,
R.D.

Next time: Bacon-wrapped figs (if I can get fresh figs!)