Frittata Pasquale Umbra

Frittata Pasquale Umbra

A rustic Umbrian Easter frittata built on slowly sweated onions, garlic and pecorino, traditionally eaten on Easter morning with the day’s first bread. It is a simple, deeply savory dish where patience with the onions does most of the work.

Prep

15 min

Cook

35 min

Total

50 min

Serves

6

Difficulty

Easy

Recipe ingredients

• •8 whole (8 large) eggs, cold from the fridge if possible
• •600 g (about 4 cups / 1¼ lb) yellow onions, thinly sliced
• •2 cloves garlic, whole, peeled, lightly crushed
• •60 ml (¼ cup) extra-virgin olive oil
• •80 g (1 oz / about 1 cup grated) Pecorino Romano, freshly grated; Parmigiano works as a substitute
• •5 g (1 tsp) black pepper, freshly ground, generous
• •3 g (½ tsp) fine sea salt, adjust to taste; pecorino is salty
• •10 g (2 tbsp chopped) flat-leaf parsley, optional, for finishing

Steps

1. 1 Warm the olive oil with the crushed garlic in a 24–26 cm non-stick or well-seasoned skillet over very low heat for 2 minutes until fragrant, then remove and discard the garlic. Keep the flavored oil in the pan.
2. 2 Add the sliced onions and a pinch of salt to the pan. Cook over low heat, stirring often, for 20–25 minutes until they are soft, translucent and just beginning to turn golden. Do not brown them quickly; the slow sweat is what gives the frittata its sweet Umbrian character.
3. 3 Meanwhile, beat the eggs in a bowl with the grated pecorino, the ground black pepper and the remaining salt. Whisk until smooth and a little frothy.
4. 4 Spread the onions evenly across the pan and pour the egg mixture over them. Cook over low heat for 6–8 minutes without stirring, until the base is set but the top is still slightly wet.
5. 5 Preheat the grill (broiler) to high. Slide the pan under the grill for 2–3 minutes until the surface is just set and lightly puffed, with no runny egg left in the center. Internal temperature should reach 70°C / 160°F.
6. 6 Rest off the heat for 3 minutes, loosen the edges, slide onto a board and cut into wedges. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil, a grind of pepper and the parsley, if using. Traditionally served warm or at room temperature with crusty bread.