Recipes › Calabrese › Calabrese and Cheddar Frittata with Chilli and Spring Onion
Calabrese and Cheddar Frittata with Chilli and Spring Onion
A proper weeknight frittata that lets a whole head of calabrese do the heavy lifting. The florets are briefly sautéed until just tender, then set in a deeply savoury egg and mature cheddar base with a little chilli heat running through it. Cut it in wedges straight from the pan and it feeds four in under half an hour.
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Ingredients
- 450 g Calabrese, cut into small florets, stalks thinly sliced
- 8 large free-range eggs
- 100 g mature cheddar, coarsely gratedor use gruyère for a more nutty flavour
- 4 spring onions, finely sliced
- 1 red chilli, deseeded and finely choppedor use 0.5 tsp dried chilli flakes
- 2 cloves garlic, finely sliced
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 tbsp whole milk
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 pinch black pepper, freshly ground
Contains: eggs, milk.
Method
- Preheat your grill to high. Crack the eggs into a large bowl, add the milk, half the cheddar, a generous pinch of salt, and plenty of black pepper. Beat well with a fork until fully combined.About 2 min
- Heat the olive oil in a 26–28cm ovenproof frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add the calabrese florets and sliced stalks with a good pinch of salt. Sauté, tossing occasionally, until the florets are bright green and beginning to colour at the edges — about 5 minutes.About 5 min
- Reduce the heat to medium, push the calabrese to one side and add the garlic, spring onions, and chilli. Cook for 1 minute, stirring, then redistribute everything evenly across the pan.About 1 min
- Pour the egg mixture over the vegetables, shaking the pan gently so it settles evenly around the calabrese. Scatter the remaining cheddar over the top. Cook on the hob over a medium-low heat, without stirring, until the edges are set and the base is golden — about 7 minutes.About 7 min
- Transfer the pan to the grill and cook for 3–4 minutes until the top is set, puffed, and golden in patches. Watch it carefully — grills vary. A skewer inserted into the centre should come out clean.About 4 min
- Leave to rest in the pan for 2 minutes, then run a palette knife or spatula around the edge and slide onto a board. Cut into wedges and serve warm or at room temperature.About 2 min
Tips
- Do not skip slicing the calabrese stalks — they cook at the same rate as the florets when sliced thinly and are just as good to eat.
- An ovenproof pan is essential here. If yours has a plastic handle, wrap it in a double layer of foil before it goes under the grill.
- The frittata should jiggle slightly in the very centre when you pull it from the grill — residual heat will finish it off as it rests.
Ring the changes
- Swap the cheddar for a crumbled hard goat's cheese and add 30g of sun-dried tomatoes, roughly chopped, for a more Mediterranean feel.
- For a dairy-free version, leave out the milk and cheese entirely — beat the eggs alone and scatter over 40g of toasted pine nuts instead.
Keeping it
Cool completely, then wrap and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Eat at room temperature or warm briefly in a low oven. Not suitable for freezing.
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