What’s Cooking Wednesday: Pancetta and Onion Frittata
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!
26 Beans of Wisdom to “What’s Cooking Wednesday: Pancetta and Onion Frittata”
Michelle Kaminsky is an American attorney-turned-freelance writer who lived in her family's ancestral village in Calabria, Italy for 15 years. This blog is now archived.
Calabria Guidebook
Recipes
That looks so good. I love anything with pancetta! (And onions!)
One of our wedding gifts was a wacky non-stick frittata turner that has a chicken-shaped handle. I haven’t used it yet, but I think will for the first time when I try your recipe.
Ooh! A chicken-shaped handle! How much more inspiration could you need?!
Shall I tell you how many times I have shattered a big frittata trying to turn it over? It’s otherwise one of my favorite antipasti.
If I do will you trust me when I say NO MILK because it makes it softer and too delicate. And a couple of drops of Tabasco or a pizzichino of peperoncino in polvere wakes up the eggs without making it spicy.
I use more cheese, maybe that’s why so many of mine shatter?
Mmm, that looks tasty, indeed.
Mmm that sounds good. I might try that tonight!
Do you think that the eggs taste better in Italy?
I should never read your Wednesday posts in the morning. Now I want breakfast AGAIN!
(Actually, I would settle for a cornetto, not to be confused with cornuto, of course)
one word. Yum.
Cornuto…God forbid!
You can use a pan lid and if it has a center knob it helps keep your fingers from burning. Methinks you really like to cook!
“you’ll do fine if you have faith that your frittata will flip freely.”
The secret to cooking. Or the secret to life?!!
This recipe looks great. Thx.
mmmm, sounds and looks yummy!! I’m all about frittatas these days, I’ll have to try that one.
Judith, sorry to hear of the mishaps. Maybe mine are just small enough to make the flip easier. To tell the truth, I probably use more cheese too since measuring is not my forte 😉 Anyway, about the milk I would just add a drop I swear–I like the fluff it gives. (Shh, I did make one once with just a drop and ate nearly the whole thing myself, thus saving P from being exposed to milk.) I usually add a pinch of peperoncino to everything, but for some reason, P doesn’t really like it with eggs. I know. He’s weird.
John, Jennifer, NYC, it is quite tasty and really easy once you get past the flipping fear (if you have it).
Pat, I could be biased since I actually use our own eggs, but yes, I do like eggs better here. It’d be interesting to go back to the US now and taste the difference, because I *know* there is one.
Marmite Breath, sorry about that. And yes, as Pat implies, you’d definitely want a cornetto over a cornuto any day. P would die if he knew I even typed that word here.
Sharon, good tip! I haven’t burned myself yet, but I came pretty close the other day–pulled my hand back just as I was ready to grip the pan, and not by the handle. Duh.
Ally, I like the way you think 🙂
Erin, if you’re already a frittata expert, no need to deny the pancetta and onion. I’ll be making another one in a few minutes. You think P’s addicted or what? Must be these tasty eggs!
That looks great…you might want to try to add cooked pasta (sans sugo) to the egg mixture. That is how my Calabrian Nonna Rosa used to make her frittati and so do I. But for a lighter version, I will try your receipe…ciao ciao! Imani
Yummmmmy yum yum! I only have energy for scrambled eggs. If I add some very old–but newly grated–pecorino romano and then flip it all over for a bit, can I pass that off as frittata con romano? Just wondering….I am ever hopeful.
I love eggs. They are pretty good with just about anything, I think.
I love onion, in fact I just ate some today, alot actually, and have onion breath. It doesn’t seem to stop me though!
“You’ll do fine if you have faith that your frittata will flip freely.”
You don’t want to know how many minutes I’ve just wasted trying to say this over and over without making a mistake. *Sigh* I blame my parents for my strangeness. Haha!
Mmm I’m going to have to give this one a try. I’m sure it will be a big hit with Michael.
That sounds wonderful.
“Frittata will flip freely”
“Frittata will flip freely”
“Frittata will flip freely”
“Frittata will flip freely”
“Frittata will flip freely”
Somepinkflowers, hey, you call it whatever you like…anything with pecorino is OK in my book 😉
Cheeky, same here, all around. Minus the onion breath but it’s still early.
Bec, well, I think it’s enough that you *think* the phrase. Blaming parents is always good (and I’ll stick with this one until I become a parent).
Shan, finally I’ve done a potentially Michael-approved recipe! I knew it could happen 😉
Scribbit, thanks! Kinda does sound like a mantra when you put it like that 😉
Look what I found today!
http://www.calabrian-cooking.com/
Do you know it? I’m in the mood for some enraged pasta today.
Judith, no I hadn’t seen that site. I sure hope my pasta doesn’t get enraged today; I don’t think I could handle it.
I ended up having enraged cabbage, and it were good. Yup.
Pieces of pancetta tesa sauteed in oil, then 1″ or so dice of cabbage, pinch of peperoncino, fried until it had that toasted taste.
Ah, cabbage to calm the savage beast–sounds delicious!
I made tomato soup today, but I still have to play around with it a bit before I post it here. I’ve seen recipes that call for onions, but I used onion powder and I really liked it. Ever made it yourself?
See what happens without Campbell’s on the shelves?
This looks crazy-delicious. I’ll have to ask my Italian sissie in law to help me since she’s such a fabulous cook (her family’s from Sicilia 🙂
I bought some Pancetta today and wanted to find a nice, simple recipe to try. This one works great, added some roasted red pepper to it and it did “flip freely” so we now have a new Sunday morning breakfast dish.
Thanks
So happy you enjoyed it, Michael! It’s always fun to throw in some new things to experiment 🙂