I’m turning the classic Sicilian pasta dish into a delicious and easy frittata perfect for your next brunch.
I typically make a frittata at least once a week. I serve it to my family for dinner and usually enjoy it for lunch throughout the week. It’s an easy staple to include in your kitchen and there are endless ways to mix it up.
I was recently given some eggplants from a dear friend who had a bumper crop from her garden this year. Absolutely gorgeous, plump shiny eggplants that I’ve been adding to just about everything I’ve cooked this last month. Having just made a large batch of marinara sauce from a couple bushels of summer tomatoes, I wanted to create a dish with both elements.
Pasta Alla Norma is a well-known Sicillian dish made with eggplants and tomato sauce. As much as I love pasta, we have eaten quite a bit of it lately so I thought I’d switch it up by making my eggplants and marinara the star of my weekly frittata.
I use a cast-iron skillet to cook down my chopped eggplants. While the eggplants cook down, I create the egg mixture and set it aside. Once the eggplant has cooked down and become soft, I throw the garlic in and let it cook for 2 minutes. To get a swirl of sauce throughout the bake I pour half of the egg mixture in the skillet then a quarter cup of sauce goes in. I give a swirl with my spatula, add the rest of the eggs, top with the rest of the sauce and swirl it around again until it looks like a marble cake. Finally, I top the frittata with oregano and let it cook for 5 minutes before throwing it in the oven to finish baking.
When it comes out of the oven, it looks like a Chicago style pizza but tastes like tender eggs swirled with a tangy marinara, Italian spices and hearty cheese.
Frittata Alla Norma
PrintIngredients
- 1 large Eggplant
- 2 tbsp Olive Oil
- 8 Eggs
- 1/2 cup Whole Milk
- 1/2 cup Ricotta
- 1/2 cup Mozzarella
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 tbsp Oregano
- 1 clove Garlic
- 1/2 cup Marinara
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400. Place a cast iron skillet or other oven-safe skillet over medium heat.
- Chop the eggplant into 1/2 inch chunks. Add the olive oil to the pan and add the eggplant to the pan. Stir occasionally to cook evenly.
- Whisk the eggs, milk, ricotta and mozzarella in a large bowl. Add the salt and oregano and stir to combine.
- After about 10 minutes, the eggplant should be cooked down and soft. Chop the garlic and add to the pan. Stir for one minute to cook.
- Add half of the eggs to the pan. Add 1/4 cup of the marinara sauce to the pan and swirl. Add the rest of the eggs and the remaining marinara and swirl to combine. The mixture should resemble a marble cake.
- Place in the oven and bake until puffy, about 20 minutes. The top should appear golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving.
