Courgette and Ricotta Frittata

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Courgette and Ricotta Frittata

This simple summer or early autumn courgette and ricotta frittata is packed with sliced courgettes, creamy ricotta and fresh basil and mint. It's finished with a savoury Parmesan-style crust and can be on the table within twenty minutes. Serve with a green salad and tomato sauce or chutney for a deliciously unfussy lunch.

Prep Time5

Cook Time15

Course: Lunch

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: basil, courgettes, easy, eggs, mint, ricotta, vegetarian

Servings: people

Calories: 374kcal

Author: Choclette @ Tin and Thyme

Equipment

cast iron skillet (25 cm, 10") (affiliate link) optional
microplane (affiliate link) optional

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion (or a large shallot) - finely chopped
2 small courgettes (zucchini) (about 250g) - thinly sliced
4 medium eggs or 3 large ones
125 g ricotta cheese
2 tbsp vegetarian Parmesan style cheese finely grated
2 sprigs mint chopped
4 sprigs basil chopped
1 tbsp garlic chives (or swap for onion chives) - finely snipped
2 pinch sea or rock salt
good grinding of black pepper

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan or skillet over a low to medium heat. The pan needs to be ovenproof as it will go under the grill (broiler) later. I use a cast iron skillet, which is excellent for this job.
1 tbsp olive oil
Fry the onions gently in the olive oil until translucent, about 3 minutes.
1 small onion
Turn up the heat a little add a pinch of salt followed by the courgette slices. Fry, stirring occasionally for 5-7 minutes or until the courgettes are soft.
2 small courgettes (zucchini), 1 pinch sea or rock salt
Whilst the courgettes are frying, break the eggs into a mixing bowl. Add the final pinch of salt and black pepper then beat with a fork until well combined.
4 medium eggs, good grinding of black pepper, 1 pinch sea or rock salt
Beat in the ricotta so it's mostly broken up, but with some small lumps remaining.
125 g ricotta cheese
Finally stir in the chopped herbs and 1 tbsp of the Parmesan-style cheese.
2 sprigs mint, 4 sprigs basil, 1 tbsp garlic chives, 1 tbsp vegetarian Parmesan style cheese
Pour the egg mixture over the courgettes. Tilt the pan, so that the eggs are evenly distributed. Turn down the heat slightly and cook for 3-4 minutes or until the eggs are more or less set.
Meanwhile, put the grill (broiler) on high, but not the highest heat - 220℃ (425℉, Gas 7) is about right.
1 tbsp vegetarian Parmesan style cheese
Scatter the remaining tablespoon of cheese over the frittata, then take the pan off the hob and place it under the grill. Leave it to cook for two to three minutes or until the frittata is puffed up, completely set and crisp and golden around the edges. It will deflate when you take it out though, so don't be disappointed.
Let the frittata stand for 5 minutes, then cut into halves or wedges and serve either warm or at room temperature.

Notes

You can double the quantity to serve four as a main meal or six as a starter or picnic item. But as it will be thicker, you will need to cook the frittata for a few minutes longer, both on the stove top and under the grill (broiler).

If you don’t have a grill, slide the frittata onto a plate, invert it onto another plate, then slide it back into the pan. Cook the underside for a couple of minutes.

You’ll find additional tips and info about this recipe in the main body of the post.

Please note: calories and other nutritional information are per serving. They’re approximate and will depend on serving size and exact ingredients used. Please refer to my nutrition disclaimer for further information.

Nutrition