What’s Cooking Wednesday: Pancetta and Onion Frittata

26 CommentsWednesday • May 2, 2007 • by michelle

Things are finally back on track around here, which means it’s time for What’s Cooking Wednesday! This week it’s Pancetta and Onion Frittata. It could also be known as a Carbonara Frittata, because you use mostly the same ingredients minus the pasta, so if you like that, you should love this.

You can serve this as an appetizer, a light dinner, a hefty breakfast, or anytime you see fit really; I’ve been making this frittata a couple times a week for P to take for his mid-morning snack. He cuts it into thick strips and slaps it between two chunks of bread (folding it over so that it’s a double frittatawich).

Oh, and one last note before we get to the recipe: I would’ve loved to have taken a photo of a nice wedge of the frittata, but since that would’ve ruined his sandwich structure, I didn’t. Aren’t I nice?

Pancetta & Onion Frittata
(Frittata con pancetta e cipolle)

4 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
300 g cubed pancetta
2 tbsp fresh chopped parsley
salt and pepper to taste
6 eggs
2 tbsp grated cheese

1. Break eggs into a bowl, add grated cheese, and beat together with a fork (I would add a little bit of milk to this mixture if P would let me, but he won’t, so I don’t).

2. Heat oil in large non-stick pan. Stir in onions and cook on low heat until they are soft, around 10-15 minutes.

3. Add pancetta, and cook for a few minutes.

4. Add salt, pepper, and parsley.

5. Turn up heat to medium and add egg mixture. Stir a bit to evenly distribute eggs, pancetta, onions, and parsley, but do this rather quickly and then stop stirring.

6. Cook on the first side until the frittata is puffed and no longer wet on top; this will take anywhere from 5-10 minutes.

7. Now you’re getting ready to flip. Forza! I didn’t make frittatas for a long time because I was afraid of this step, but I promise, you’ll do fine if you have faith that your frittata will flip freely.

Phew. Say that five times fast.

First, make sure your frittata will come free easily; if not, shake it back and forth gently to release it from the pan.

Then take a plate large enough to cover the pan completely, place it upside down over the pan, and turn the frittata over onto it. I know it’s stupid to say “Remember that the pan is hot” but I’m saying it anyway. Because, you know, even the best of us can forget. Use oven mitts if you must.

Now slide the frittata from the plate back into the pan and cook until the second side is golden brown, another 5 minutes or so.

8. Remove from heat and cut into wedges to serve–or you can do as P do in cut it into big strips and eat it on a sandwich.

Buon appetito!