Ricotta and Swiss Chard Frittata
Funny how dinner has that “charming” way of sneaking up on you each and every day. Just when you think you’ve got a handle on things, it’s suddenly 5:30 pm and though you knew it was coming, you’ve given no thought to what you can throw together and now you and the little people (and big ones) around you are suddenly famished. Recognize the pattern?!! Now you could order something in, OR for far less money and for something much quicker and healthier, you could make this Ricotta and Swiss Chard Frittata. So what’s it gonna be?!!
Now, if you haven’t prepared you might not have Swiss chard or ricotta in the house, but don’t panic. You can sub in spinach or kale or zucchini or basically any green veggie you do have and any cheese that you can shred or grate. Phew!
But if you can make it to the market or are the kind of smart person who always keeps Swiss chard and ricotta on hand, then you are going to be so happy because the combo of these two ingredients, along with onion and garlic, is just really yummy.
And so perfect and light for all the steamy weather we’ve been having!
If you’re a little intimidated about using Swiss chard (I used a rainbow variety but a plain old green one will do just fine here too), just know that you can and should eat the stems as well as the spinach-y leaves. Here, you’ll sauté the stems along with the onion and garlic and eventually add the leaves in to wilt. Then it’s just a simple matter of pouring in the eggs, dolloping on the ricotta and popping the whole thing into the oven—
Until it emerges all golden and puffy and eggy and cheesy. YUM!
Add a salad and piece of bread (I didn’t take photos of those but that’s what we had) and dinner is served!
It’s enough to make you jump for joy except for two small points 1) It’s way too hot to do any jumping and 2) What the heck are you going to make tomorrow night?!!!
Ricotta and Swiss Chard Frittata
Makes 4 servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes, Bake Time: 14-16 minutes
Ingredients
1 bunch Swiss chard (I used a rainbow variety), washed and dried well
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
Kosher salt and black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
8 large eggs
Generous 1 cup part-skim ricotta
Couple of splashes of hot sauce
The Recipe
1. Separate the chard leaves from the stems. Slice the stems into bite sized pieces and set aside. Place several leaves on top of each other, roll up and slice the leaves into ribbons.
2. Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Heat a large oven-proof skillet over medium heat with the olive oil and add the chard stems, onion, garlic 1 teaspoon salt and a couple of pinches of black pepper. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring every now and then, until veggies are soft.
3. Add in the chard leaves a little at a time and let cook for a few minutes until wilted. Whisk the eggs together along with a pinch or two of salt and a couple of splashes of hot sauce. Give the veggies a stir and then pour the eggs over the them. Now dollop the ricotta all across the top.
4. Place the skillet in the oven and bake for about 14-16 minutes, until the frittata is set in the middle and the edges are beginning to get a bit golden brown. Remove the skillet from the oven (be careful because the handle will be hot). Cut into wedges and serve immediately. Leftovers can be stored for 2-3 days in the fridge in an airtight container and reheated or eaten cold.
Enjoy!
Note: Recipe adapted from Dinner Made Simple. I tinkered with proportions and ingredients. This is really just a basic guide for a frittata.
