Chop-Chop! Hurry-Hurry!

Frittata di Zucchine, Olive e Ricotta Salata con Insalata
Zucchini, Olive and Salted Ricotta Frittata with Chop Salad

Here's a quick one for you, to make you look forward to the Spring and Summer... whilst enduring the coldest weather of the Winter! This would make a perfect lunch or light supper- and much to my vegetarian friends surprise, actually has no bacon in it! And still tastes good? I was pretty amazed myself!

The salad was a spin on Jamie Oliver's chop salad, with a fun little twist in the dressing... I am sure he was not the first person in the world to chop up lettuce so finely- in fact my mom has been doing that for years... only I decided to come up with a refreshing new twist of my own... Read on!

For the frittata, I took my small frying pan and 2 eggs, about 3" of sliced zucchini, 1 Spring onion and a 2" chunk of salted ricotta and went to work. First of all, I put the zucchini and onion slices, along with some fresh rosemary, into the frying pan with a little crushed garlic and a little olive oil. I let them fry for 1-2 minutes, in which time I beat the eggs and grated the ricotta. I pitted and halved 5-6 olives and finely chopped a little parsley. I then removed the onion and zucchini from the frying pan and got ready to put this little baby together!

The frying pan was now empty but had a light film of oil from sautéeing the other ingredients... I didn't need to add any more and so in went the eggs! I sprinkled half of the ricotta onto the still soft eggs and began to distribute the zucchini and onions evenly, followed by the olives, moving quickly before the eggs began to set! I then sprinkled on the parsley and the rest of the ricotta cheese. Next came salt, pepper, a little paprika powder and some ground nutmeg- it was that simple!

I transferred the pan to the oven and finished the frittata under the broiler- in 2 minutes it was a deep and golden brown and ready to go! I told you this was a quick one!

To dress my little salad of chopped romaine and cherry tomatoes, I made a mix of dried oregano, dried mint and some lime juice, then added olive oil, green Tabasco, a little honey and a pinch of salt. A nice and literally refreshing alternative to the usual dressings- just perfect in combination with the frittata! So that was a great, easy and healthy meal... although I can't help thinking that some bacon was missing there after all somehow...