Rustic Italian Frittata

Torta d’Erbe is another name for Italian Frittata, that originated in the countryside of Italy’s Tuscany region. Italians enjoy it for breakfast, lunch, and sometimes as a dinner entree. The most authentic versions are made with fresh local vegetables of the season.

Enjoy this recipe!

Rustic Italian Frittata

Rebecca Forstadt Olkowski

An Italian dish that is Bellissimo! Serve it with a green salad.

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Course Lunch

Cuisine Italian

Servings 8 servings

Ingredients

  

• 2 large Leeks washed and trimmed
• 1/2 Cabbage cut into wedges
• 2 medium Zucchini trimmed
• 1 bunch green onions scallions trimmed
• 1 bunch Swiss chard cleaned
• 1 Lb potatoes peeled about 3 medium size
• 6 Tbsp bread crumbs
• 1 tsp. fresh nutmeg grated
• 8 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese grated
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• 5 cloves garlic peeled and minced
• 1/2 tsp red chili flakes
• 3 Tbsp. olive oil
• 3 eggs beaten

Instructions

 

• Place the leeks, cabbage, zucchini, green onions, Swiss chard and potatoes in a large pot.
• Fill half the pot with water and boil covered for 30 minutes until the potatoes are tender.
• Cool slightly.
• Coarsely chop up the vegetables and put them into a large bowl.
• Add the garlic, chili flakes, salt, pepper, oil, and nutmeg.
• Toss lightly.
• Add the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, and eggs.
• Stir until blended.
• Grease a casserole pan, baking pan or 10-inch pie plate.
• Chop the vegetables into 1/2 inch pieces.
• Place in a large bowl.
• Bake in the oven for 45 minutes.
• Cool and then cut into squares or wedges.

A history of frittata

A frittata is a sort of baked omelet and is often prepared in Italy for Easter celebrations.

When I was in college, in the early ’70s, I took a gourmet cooking class and saved this Torta d’Erbe recipe throughout the years. I love it because it contains cabbage, Swiss chard, onions, leeks, zucchini, potatoes, and eggs. I added a little garlic to the original recipe because, to me, it just isn’t Italian without it. The sprinkling of nutmeg gives it a fragrant and somewhat sweet flavor. Unlike many frittata recipes, this one only requires 3 eggs, so it’s light and won’t wreak havoc on your cholesterol.

The wonderful thing about baking a frittata is that you can use any type of vegetable that’s in season and sprinkle in all your favorite fresh herbs.

It’s an easy recipe to make and is perfect to take along for potlucks, picnics, and brunches.

Did you know frittata was a favorite dish of the Romans and a favorite of the Medici?

This post was originally published on 4/4/2015 and updated on 4/6/2020.

Do you love a good frittata?  What’s your favorite combination of ingredients?  Please leave a comment below.