Spinach and Feta Frittata

Yesterday was a dreary, rainy winter morning and breakfast needed something more than a bowl of oatmeal to liven up the mood. I had come across a frittata recipe on Instagram earlier in the week and it reminded me of having dinner at a friend's house in the Beforetimes when she made frittatas in cast iron pans. I thought it was delicious and lends itself well to breakfast, lunch or dinner. For breakfast, pair it with a piece of sourdough toast, lunch with some greens and a lemon vinaigrette, and dinner with some roasted potatoes and sautéed Brussel sprouts or kale. It comes together quickly and is a nice comfort food.

I followed this particular recipe from Flavor the Moments, and as I was cooking decided it's begging for some mushrooms. I will try that next time and then add it to the recipe if it turns out well. The recipe called for dill, but I used thyme since it's what I had on hand. Parsley would be good too. Having some fresh herbs is not necessary, but does bring it up a notch in flavor. The original recipe also used half and half. I used whole milk since that's what I had. It suggests a leek, but I think shallots would be great, and you could use a regular yellow onion if that's all you had. I'd also like to experiment with different cheeses. I'm guessing this is a good base recipe that you can mess around with. It was meant to have a Mediterranean flare, but if you wanted to go with more of a French style, maybe some Brie and tarragon with mushrooms and spinach. Update 2/2024 - The original recipe called for a leek, I prefer shallot, so changed the recipe to reflect that and also to add mushrooms, which isn't necessary, but a nice addition if you have some on hand. 

Also, I love my new enamel cast iron skillet - 3.6 quart. I use it so much that I'm not sure what I was doing without it. I had planned on buying the Le Creuset version of this piece, but then discovered Lodge. It is seemingly the same quality, but much less expensive and made in the US. So far it seems to work just as well as my Le Creuset cookware. 

Spinach and Feta Frittata

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 shallot, minced

4-5 oz fresh baby spinach, chopped

4-6 mushrooms, sliced (optional)

1 clove garlic, minced

salt and pepper to taste

8 eggs

1/2 cup milk or half and half

1/2 cup crumbled feta

2 tablespoons fresh herbs (dill, thyme or parsley)

paprika for sprinkling

1. Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees. In a medium mixing bowl whisk eggs with dairy, then add feta, herbs, salt and pepper.

2. Heat the skillet over medium heat and add olive oil. 

3. Add shallots and let cook, stirring frequently for a few minutes until soft. Then add garlic and let that cook for another minute.

4. Add mushrooms, if using, and sauté until lightly browned.

5. Add spinach and let that cook down for a few minutes. Then blend with onion mixture. 

6. Brush some of the oil from the bottom up onto the side of the pan to make sure it is greased. Pour the egg mixture over the spinach mixture. Let cook for 2-3 minutes, until the sides start to set.

7. Sprinkle paprika over the top (this is just for some color, and not necessary.) Grind some pepper on top and a little more salt if you choose. Put skillet into the oven and cook 8-10 minutes until it's puffed up and the top starts to look a little golden.