No fancy stuff today, but simple honest Italian home cooking. Frittata is the Italian solution to leftovers. Just add some eggs and turn it into a wonderful meal. Although I have been blogging about Italian food for over four years, I’ve never posted a recipe for frittata. This post makes an end to that outrage. The excuse that I have for not posting a frittata before, is that I don’t often have leftovers. In this case I didn’t have any leftovers either, but made this delicious frittata on purpose. I slow-roasted cauliflower in the oven with cumin and chile pepper, added eggs and parmigiano, and then finished cooking the frittata in the oven. A frittata can also be cooked on the stovetop, but in the oven is easier as you don’t have to flip it. The deep earthy flavor of the roasted cauliflower works very well with the eggs and cheese. This is a vegetarian dish with a lot of flavor. Here’s what I did…
Ingredients
For 4 servings
1 head of cauliflower
1 tsp ground cumin, or to taste
1 tsp ground New Mexico chile pepper, or to taste
8 eggs
55 grams (2 oz) freshly grated parmigiano reggiano
extra virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground white pepper
Preparation
First things first. Start by roasting the cauliflower. Preheat the oven to 160C/325F. (If you are in a hurry you could use a higher oven temperature, but if you have the time slow-roasting is the way to go as it adds so much flavor!). Break the cauliflower into florets. Sprinkle them with ground cumin, ground New Mexico chile pepper, and salt. (NM chile pepper is not very hot, but has a great earthy flavor.) Sprinkle with salt as well. Drizzle with olive oil. Toss everything until the cauliflower is coated all over with oil and spices. Now put the cauliflower into the oven at 160C/325F.
Roast the cauliflower until it is nicely browned, but not burnt. Stir it every half hour or so. This will take about an hour and a half, so you really shouldn’t be in a hurry.
Increase the oven temperature to 180C/350F. Break 8 eggs into a large bowl and beat them.
Add 55 grams (2 oz) of freshly grated parmigiano, and season to taste with salt and freshly ground white pepper.
Whisk until the cheese has been incorporated.
Heat about a tablespoon of oil in a medium-sized non-stick oven-proof frying pan.
Add the roasted cauliflower, and arrange it in a single layer.
Pour in the egg mixture.
Wiggle the pan a little to make sure the eggs have settled.
Bake the frittata at 180C/350F until it has set, about 30 minutes.
If your pan is truly non-stick, the frittata should glide right out of it onto a plate. Serve it hot or at room temperature.
Flashback
This photo brings back great memories of visiting Conor and the wife in Ireland, and cooking Irish parsnips, with Irish mussels, and Irish blue cheese for them. It was wonderful. The flavor combination is delicious.
Stefan's Gourmet Blog 
I think frittata can be a very fancy dish considering that it is very difficult to make a beautiful and delicious frittata. I think that the simplest dishes are always the fanciest! 😊
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Very good point and I agree with you. I’ve had spaghetti with tomato sauce in a very fancy restaurant and it was amazing. I am not sure though if “fancy” is the best word to use for what you mean to say, because to me fancy means elaborate, expensive and luxury. Perhaps “intricate” or “elegant” are more appropriate?
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Roasted cauliflower is amazing. I love the addition of the chile and mature cheese.
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Il cavolfiore mi piace molto, ma la frittata ancora di più! Non riesco a vedere il manico delle tue padelle. Io ho sempre paura che, in forno, prendano odore di plastica bruciata. Però non sono vecchie, forse dovrei fidarmi!
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Il manico delle mie padelle sono di metallo. Visto che le tue non sono vecchie, potresti controllare sul sito web del produttore se le tue maniche possono andare nel forno.
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Hai ragione, grazie.
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In hearty agreement about frittata being the cook’s best friend when it comes to leftovers, although I often intentially create leftovers with plans to make frittata, however I’ve never made a cauliflower version. I must fix that.
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Let me know how you like it!
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Of course I ‘make leftovers’ to create yet another moreish frittata! Actually had not talked to my cauliflowers for that purpose but shall! Methinks Richard would have smiled . . .
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Glad you caught the reference 🙂
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Stefan, I cannot believe you and Kees are so skinny just with the fact that you never have leftovers! Please tell me you both didn’t eat half this, that is four eggs each, lol! However, I make frittatas or omelets all the time with leftovers. Having a family of three where most recipes are for 8 does that, even with halving it. 🙂 Your frittata looks gorgeous.
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Hi Kathryn, I started to make this for two, but then realized 4 eggs wasn’t enough to submerge the cauliflower. Then I added 4 more eggs and we only ate half of it. So ironically, I had leftover frittata (instead of frittata made with leftovers). In the recipe I did specify it serves 4.
We aren’t overweight because I cook and serve exact portions, no second helpings. In this case I stored the other half of the frittata right away so we wouldn’t be tempted to eat it right away.
You could multiply the recipes by 3/8 😉 😉 😉
In this case, you could make this frittata with 6 eggs to serve 3.
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You have excellent self-control! 😀
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E pensare che i cavoli sono spesso bistrattati in cucina. Questa frittata è fantastica! 🙂
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How do you manage to not have leftovers? I have to confess that I’d have a hard time eating up all that beautiful roasted cauliflower well before it made its way into that delicious-looking fritata! (Maybe that’s how you avoid having leftovers.)
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I often get asked how I manage to cook and eat so well and not get fat. That is by cooking and serving exact portions. Never second helpings! As a side effect, I don’t have leftovers often.
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Like you, Stefan, I do enjoy a frittata and often make one on clean-the-fridge-day. Never have used cauliflower in mine, though. It’s not that I dislike the vegetable. i just never seem to have any on-hand when it’s clean-the-fridge-day/ I need to schedule my meals better because i do want to try this dish.
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Thank you Stefan.
This recipe is so useful! To showcase the slow roasted cauliflower (you do not get that flavor any other way). As a main dish when there are just two. As a side dish when there are more. As a base to build on for a Sunday Brunch.
It has been shared in moments where one was reflecting on the uncertainty of life. It has lifted spirits around a lunch table with an optimism only good food can bring.
I never before purchased cauliflower so regularly!
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Thank you for the wonderful comment.
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🙂
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