It's No Longer a Sausage Fest...

Over the last few months I've realized that there's nothing more satisfying than cooking. This blog began as a means to let my friends, family, and colleagues know what I loved to do most: EAT. Erm, sorry. I mean "cook". But eating is pretty awesome too.

With that in mind, it's time The Project move forward and not only share what I love to create and savour, but show off some of the (pork) chops of my fellow foodies. And so I give you: Student Showcase !

This is the first (of what I hope to be many posts) from students who enjoy cooking but don't necessarily have the means of showing off their creations. Our first volunteer is the lovely and talented Jaclyn Tersigni who was kind enough to bring you some of her Ham & Veggie Medley Frittata.

Photography courtesy of Jaclyn Tersigni.
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Eggs ain’t just for breakfast. Frittatas (a sort of omelette-quiche hybrid) are perfect for lunch and dinner. They’re traditionally fried but this North American version is finished off in the oven.
What you’ll need:

•Eggs. How many depends on how many you’re cooking for. I typically use two if I’m cooking for myself. I made this frittata for three people – including an 18-year-old dude with a bottomless stomach – and used ten eggs.

•Fillings: In this frittata, I used orange and red pepper, asparagus, onion, and ham. Other great fillings include mushrooms, broccoli, cubed potato, bacon, spinach, feta, and olives. For something a little different, try adding arugula pieces (mildly spicy flavoured lettuce) to the top of the frittata after cooking

•A tablespoon or two of milk for mixing with eggs.

•Olive oil and, if desired, garlic (for sautéing).

•An oven-safe pan. Size depends on how many eggs you’ll be cooking. For anything less than four eggs, use a pan with a diameter of about five inches.

1. Prep is the name of the game and the name of the game is prep. Wash and chop/dice all your fillings beforehand.



2. Crack the eggs into a bowl and whisk well, with a tablespoon or so of milk. Whisk well! Whisk lots! The more you whisk, the more air gets into the egg mixture, the fluffier the frittata will be. If you want, you can add some hot sauce, freshly ground pepper, or what I like to do – add a few drops of chipotle sauce for a smoky flavour that works incredibly well with onion, pepper, and bacon fillings.

3. Leave your eggs for the time being. Get your pan out and start to sauté your veggies over medium to medium/high heat, stirring often; I sautéed mine in olive oil and minced garlic to add flavour. If you or your guests don’t like garlic, skip it – it won’t be easy to pick out come chowdown time.

4. Once the veggies have softened and the onion is beginning to look translucent, transfer to a plate. Spray your pan well to avoid sticking, then add the veggies back to the pan. Distribute them evenly around the pan, then pour your egg mixture evenly over the pan and veggie mixture. Keep the heat at medium to medium/high. At this point, turn your oven’s broiler on high.



5. Keep a close eye on the pan – this isn’t the time for tomfoolery, folks. Once the eggs’ edges begin to solidify, gently push them in about half an inch to allow the runny egg fill the space and begin to cook. Once there is little to no runny egg left, carefully transfer the pan to the middle rack of your oven. If you desire, sprinkle some cheese over the top before putting the pan in the oven.



6.Cooking time from here on depends on the strength of your oven’s broiler. Keep your eye on it. Once the top of the frittata has solidified and there is some slight (I emphasize slight, who likes burnt eggs?) browning, it’s done. Take it out, step back and admire, then slice it like a pie or pizza.



Ketchup ain’t the only condiment for frittatas. Try salsa, Tabasco or a similar hot pepper sauce, Sriracha sauce, or even fresh guacamole. Since this was a dinner time frittata, I served it alongside some mixed greens. I’m of the opinion that a cold beer is a nice beverage accompaniment – a lager, preferably.