A Frittata (Italy), Tortilla (Spain) or Omelette (France) are all variations of a baked egg dish that is cooked slowly over low heat until almost firm and just set. At the last moment, it is place under a broiler or in the oven to finish the cooking.
Ramps are wild leeks foraged in the spring, native to various regions of North America, including the Pacific Northwest and Appalachian mountain region in east. The ramp bulbs have a slightly pungent onion/garlic aroma and taste while the green tops are milder. They are extremely versatile and can used raw, sautéed or roasted, pickles or infused in everything from oil to vodka.
Nettle is the common name for any of between 30-45 species of flowering plants native to Europe, North Africa, Asia, and North America, with amazing culinary and medicinal properties. The stinging nettle is the most prominent member of the Urtica dioica genus. It has a a quality like bitter greens that cuts through the richness of other ingredients but without heavy tannins.
For the Frittata
- 1tablespoonolive oil (or more as needed)
- 2bunchesstinging nettle
- 1bunchramps, cut into slices
- ½ poundfingerling or other waxy potato, cut into slices and blanched (approximately 6 potatoes)
- 9eggs
- ½ cup milk
- ½ cupcrème frâiche
- kosher salt & cracked black pepper, to taste
- green garlic tops, finely chopped
To Prepare the Frittata: Using gloves, wash the nettles thoroughly in cold water. In a very large pot of boiling salted water, blanch the nettles for 1 minute. Remove to a cold water bath. Remove from the cold water and drain well. Carefully strip the leaves from the stalks. Discard the stalks and roughly chop the leaves.
In a bowl, beat the eggs, milk, crème frâiche, salt and pepper. Reserve.
In a large, ovenproof skillet add the olive oil. Add the ramps and potatoes and sauté the over medium heat until soften, about 8 to 12 minutes. Add the blanched nettle leaves, and sauté, stirring, for a few minutes. Pour the egg mixture over the top. Cook until the base is just set, about 5 to 8 minutes. Place frittata under broiler or in a 375F oven until the top is puffed and lightly browned. Sprinkle with the green garlic tops.
Advanced Preparations: The nettle scan be blanched and the ramps and potatoes can be sautéed several hours in advance. Warm them back up in a large skillet and continue with the recipe.
Substitutions /Options: Chard, mustard greens or even spinach can be substituted for the nettles. Onions, leeks and garlic can be substituted in place of the ramps. The combination of the slightly tangy crème frâiche and whole milk works best but you can use all milk or all heavy cream if you add a touch of lemon juice to balance the richness.
A good addition or substitution, if available, are fiddlehead ferns. They are the young, edible, tightly coiled frond from the ostrich fern. They resemble the spiral end of a violin or a fiddle. The shoots are in their coiled form for only about 2 weeks before they unfurl into non-edible greenery. They have a flavor akin to an asparagus-green bean-okra cross and a slightly chewy texture.
Additionally, you can add various types of cheese to the frittata base and/or to the top of the frittata just before it goes into the oven.
Wine Note: Some wine experts say egg dishes don't work well with wine but a crisp but fruity white with earth overtones works well with this dish, as does a crisp sparkling wine.
Wine Recommendation: Domaine Meriwether is an Oregon winery best known for its delicious sparkling wines. The wines are named after various aspects of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Their non-vintage Cuvée Discovery is a blend of Chardonnay and Pinot noir in the traditional French Brut style. The bubbles are small and fine with a spicy aroma and enough acidity to hold up to the bitter greens and the rich frittata base. It’s a great value!
Makes 4 servings
Stuart Stein - Stuart Stein When it comes to regional, market-driven cooking, many chefs talk the talk, but few walk the walk quite as ardently as ...
