You might have enjoyed a chard frittata at your favorite restaurant, yet it’s unlikely they’ll share their recipe tricks in making frittatas – as always, here at No Takeout, we’ll reveal the restaurant cooking secrets. We’ve dug deep to find out insider secrets that can get that authentic flavor right in your home kitchen.
Get ready to find out how to make frittatas that taste incredible!
What is a Frittata?
The typical frittata is somewhere between an omelet and quiche but is actually neither of these because of how it’s cooked. The name itself comes from the Italian word Friggere which translates into a term that describes something fried. Yet, this is not what is happening with frittatas and has a recipe that follows a very specific set of instructions on how it’s prepared.
It can be considered an open-face omelet and in many regions outside of Italy before the 1950s, frittatas were largely thought to be the same as an omelet. Here are some pointers that show you why frittatas are very different than omelets.
- No matter what ingredients are included when making frittatas, there are always the standard cubed or shredded potatoes which are included. These ingredients are combined with the beaten egg that is cooked in a pan at the same time. An omelet has the egg mixture partly cooked before adding any ingredients being added and then folded in half.
- Frittatas are cooked with lower heat than omelets for at least 10 to 15 minutes and start the cooking process on the stovetop, but then will be finished off in the oven.
- It’s typical to beat the eggs with a whisk to get more air into the egg mixture. This makes the texture of the fluffier and helps to accommodate all of the added fillings.
- Since frittatas are never folded like omelets, the entire mixture needs to be cooked in an oven to cook the top layer of the egg since a standard pan cannot complete the cooking process.
- The finished frittata is then sliced into wedges like a pizza and is served as a stand-alone meal with bread, added sauces, or tasty garnishes.
How to get that authentic frittata restaurant flavor
As mentioned before, your local restaurant won’t tell you any secrets about how they’re preparing their frittatas, but celebrity Chefs are always helpful in sharing their cooking methods. Here are a few tips from the pros who know a thing or two about cooking for hungry restaurant patrons.
Gordon Ramsay
While Gordon has a hot temper for slacker chefs in his kitchen, he’s no slouch when it comes to cooking frittatas. He recommends keeping sliced veggies looking rustic and roughly chopped so you can see the texture. He also recommends a cast iron skillet for making frittatas so they can be placed into an oven for finishing the cooking.
Jamie Oliver
Cry baby Jamie might be crying over kids eating healthy, but he knows one good way to introduce kids to eating veggies like Swiss chard. His secret is to blanch the chard before cooking it in the pan. Another tip he uses is for cooking frittata without an oven. Place a lid on your skillet to help cook the eggs over the top, but leave a small bit of space for steam to get out.
Martha Stewart
Martha might have gotten a bad rap for insider trading years ago, though she does know how to make a mean chard frittata! Her big secret is to slice up the chard into long-thin strips so these aren’t noticed by younger kids so much. She also uses plenty of cherry tomatoes for added flavor with feta cheese as a topping.
Making chard frittatas at home
Chard frittatas
Equipment
- Skillet
- Large bowl
- Metal whisk
- Egg mixture
- Paper towel
- PanÂ
- Oven
- Cutting board
- Pairing knife
Ingredients
- 1 Bunch Swiss chard (fresh)
- 3-4 Tablespoons Olive oil
- 1 Small White onion
- 6 Eggs
- 2 Cloves garlic
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
- Cayenne chili powder
Instructions
- Start this off by preheating your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Be sure to wash your Swiss chard 3 or 4 times under cold clean water to remove any dirt and remove the stems. The stems can still be cooked but these should be sliced into thin strips, however, the leaves need to be chopped in course bits. Your onion needs to be sliced into thin slices that are ¼ thick.
- Add one or two tablespoons of olive oil into your skillet, add your onion, and stir this for 5 minutes to cook them. When this is done, you can now add your chard and stems while adding salt and pepper for taste and cook for another 5 minutes, until the leaves are tender.
- Remove any liquid from the skillet by using a flat lid that fits inside and squeeze out anything remaining. You can now crack your eggs into a large bowl using salt and pepper and a simple pinch of cayenne chili powder and 2 cloves of your chopped garlic. Use a metal whisk to get plenty of air into this egg mixture.
- Add the chard and onion mix from your skillet and mix this into the egg mix. This gives you a chance to wipe out your skillet with a paper towel to remove any remaining liquids. Now you can add another 2 tablespoons of olive oil into the skillet on medium heat and pour your egg mixture that has the chard and onions mixed in.
- Allow this mixture to cook on the stovetop for 2 or 3 minutes to get the egg to cook along the edges and bottom of the pan. After this, remove the skillet into the oven and cook for an additional 8-10 minutes. This will help cook and set the rest of the eggs
- After the eggs are cooked, remove the skillet using an oven mitt or kitchen towel so you don’t get burned. Place the skillet onto a cutting board and take a pairing knife to release the edges of your frittatas. Place a plate onto the very top and carefully flip the frittatas upside down. Use another plate to flip it back again.
- Now you can slice and serve your frittatas into 4 equal slices or 8 slices to make smaller servings. Enjoy!
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