Frittata (Easter)
intro
A bright, protein-packed baked frittata loaded with spring vegetables, cured pancetta, and creamy cheese, perfect for Easter brunch gatherings.
Ingredients
Steps
Prep oven and ingredients
Adjust your oven rack to the middle position, then preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Wash all produce: trim woody ends from asparagus and cut into 1cm pieces, thinly slice scallions, thaw frozen peas and pat dry, chop parsley, and drain excess whey from ricotta. Finely grate Parmigiano-Reggiano and set all prepped ingredients aside.
Whisk the egg base
Crack all 8 large eggs into a 2L mixing bowl. Add 120ml whole milk, 5g kosher salt, 2g black pepper, and three-quarters of the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano. Whisk steadily for 45 seconds until the mixture is uniform pale yellow with no streaks of egg white remaining; avoid over-whisking to prevent a rubbery final texture.
Sauté the fillings
Heat 15ml extra-virgin olive oil in a 25cm (10-inch) oven-safe nonstick skillet over medium heat (stovetop dial set to 6/10). Add 100g diced pancetta, and cook for 3 minutes until lightly crisped and golden. Add sliced scallions and cut asparagus pieces, cook for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until asparagus is bright green and crisp-tender. Stir in thawed peas and chopped parsley, cook for 1 additional minute to warm through.
Assemble frittata in pan
Reduce stovetop heat to medium-low (dial set to 4/10). Pour the whisked egg mixture evenly over the cooked fillings in the skillet. Use a heatproof silicone spatula to gently stir the mixture for 1 minute, lifting set edges to let runny uncooked egg flow underneath. Drop small, evenly spaced dollops of drained ricotta across the frittata surface, then sprinkle with the remaining grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.
Bake until fully set
Carefully transfer the hot skillet to the preheated middle oven rack. Bake for 16 to 18 minutes, until the frittata edges are puffed and deep golden, and the center is just set (it should jiggle only slightly when the pan is gently shaken, with no visible runny liquid). Avoid overbaking, as this will lead to a dry, tough texture.
Rest and serve slices
Use thick oven mitts to remove the hot skillet from the oven, and set it on a wire cooling rack to rest for 5 minutes. Residual pan heat will finish cooking the frittata center as it rests. Slide the frittata onto a wooden cutting board, slice into 6 even wedges, and serve warm or at room temperature.
Tips
2.Avoid over-whisking the eggs (which incorporates too much air) or overbaking the frittata, as both mistakes result in a tough, rubbery texture instead of the desired soft, creamy set.
3.Leftover frittata will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, and can be served cold, at room temperature, or gently rewarmed for quick post-Easter breakfasts.
OMG this was the star of our Easter brunch this year! I was stressing about finding something easy that wouldn’t keep me stuck in the kitchen all morning, and this 35 minute cook time was a total game changer. My kids usually turn their nose up at any egg dish that isn’t scrambled eggs with ketchup, but they loved it and asked for seconds! Even my picky mother-in-law asked for the recipe. 10/10 will be making this every Easter from now on.
Made this last week for my weekly meal prep and it held up so well all week! I was worried a frittata would get soggy in the fridge, but slices reheated perfectly in the microwave for 2 minutes each. Super easy, minimal cleanup, packed with protein. I brought a slice to my coworker and she said it’s better than the fancy frittata at our local brunch spot.
This tasted exactly like the Easter frittata my Italian grandma used to make every year! I haven’t been able to get the recipe right since she passed, and I teared up a little when my dad took his first bite and said it tasted just like Nonnie’s. Thank you so much for sharing this, it’s going to be a staple at all our family holidays now.
I brought this to our church Easter potluck last Sunday and it was GONE in 10 minutes! People were coming up to me the whole rest of the event asking where I got the recipe. I will say I added a little extra shredded parmesan on top because who doesn’t love more cheese, and it was chef’s kiss. So easy to throw together even when you’re running 10 minutes late to an event, trust me I would know 😂
Okay full transparency, I can barely boil water without burning it, and I managed to nail this on the first try! My girlfriend wanted a nice Easter brunch at home this year and I was panicking because I don’t cook at all, but this was labeled easy and it actually lived up to it. It looked so fancy when it came out of the oven she thought I ordered it from a restaurant lmao. Only note: I used a little too much salt, so go light if you’re using salty cheese!
So happy this recipe is naturally gluten free! I’ve been searching high and low for an Easter main that doesn’t require a million weird substitute ingredients, and this fits the bill perfectly. It’s so creamy and flavorful, none of my gluten-eating family members even realized it was GF. Total win!
This is such a great high-protein option for holiday meals! I’ve been trying to stick to my protein goals even on special occasions, and a slice of this keeps me full for hours without leaving me feeling sluggish like all the sugary Easter pastries do. Will be making this year round, not just for Easter!
Hosted 12 people for Easter brunch yesterday and this frittata was the easiest item on my menu. I prepped all the ingredients the night before, poured the egg mixture in the skillet right when guests arrived, and it was done by the time we finished mimosas. Zero stress, 10/10 for entertaining.
I added a pinch of red pepper flakes and a handful of diced jalapeños to this for a little kick, and it was SO good. The creamy egg and cheese balances the heat perfectly. If you like a little spice in your brunch food, don’t sleep on that addition!
I loaded mine up with sautéed mushrooms, spinach, and cherry tomatoes, and it came out perfect! The recipe is such a great base to customize with whatever veggies you have in the fridge. I love easy recipes that don’t require a run to the grocery store for one random ingredient.
This tastes just like the frittata my mom made for every Easter when I was growing up in the 70s! So many modern frittata recipes have all these weird fancy ingredients that don’t taste like the classic, and this one hits all the nostalgic notes for me. I’ll be passing this recipe down to my kids too.
Made this with my 7 year old for Easter and it was such a fun easy recipe to do together! He loved cracking the eggs and stirring in the cheese, and he was so proud to serve something he helped make to the whole family. It came out perfectly even with a little extra cheese he snuck in when I wasn’t looking 😂
Paired a slice of this with my iced latte on Easter morning and it was the perfect combo. Not too heavy, super flavorful, and it cooked way faster than the breakfast casserole I usually make. I’ll be swapping my usual casserole for this frittata from now on.
Leftover slices of this made the best quick breakfast all week after Easter! I wrapped individual slices in parchment paper and froze half of them, they reheated great in the toaster oven for busy work mornings. Game changer for busy weeks after a holiday.
I swapped the regular cheese for dairy-free mozzarella and used oat milk instead of regular milk, and it came out amazing! I was worried it would be rubbery like a lot of dairy-free egg bakes, but it was just as creamy as the regular version. So happy I can enjoy this classic for Easter too!
Perfect for my tiny apartment oven! I didn’t have to pull out any huge baking dishes, just my small 8-inch skillet, and it cooked perfectly in 35 minutes exactly like the recipe said. No fancy equipment needed, which is a huge win for people like me with tiny kitchens.
My brunch group did an Easter themed spread last weekend and everyone raved about this frittata. We served it alongside fruit salad, mimosas, and hot cross buns, and it balanced out all the sweet stuff perfectly. It’s definitely going into our regular brunch rotation, not just for Easter!
I was skeptical a frittata could be better than my go-to cheese omelet, but I stand corrected. The edges get all crispy and cheesy in the oven, and the center is so light and fluffy. It’s way less work than standing over the stove flipping omelets for a crowd too. Total convert!