Frittata Provencale

Frittata Provencale

Now here is an eggcellent dish for morning, noon and night. The ingredients tempt a rustic reminiscence of an Italian holiday and warm nights spent with family and friends. The fragrant rosemary melts into the fluffy egg and parmesan base, harmonising the lightness of the egg, with the rich aromas of traditional Italian delights (olives, sundered tomatoes, basil, garlic).

But no gift is complete without an equally as dazzling wrapping. In this instance,  my wrapping comes disguised as a flavour-wave dressing. The fresh sweet zing of the sauce, spilled delicately over the top of the frittata, creates a new dimension of flavour uncommonly found with such a dish.

All flavours harmonise delightfully, allowing each ingredient to take place centre-stage of the palette, tickling a taste bud or two, before withdrawing to the web of wonderfully woven delights that is this eggy paradise.

If you would like a dairy-free option, simply leave out the parmesan. Completely free of added sugars, grains, and gluten.

Frittata Provencale

Serves 8

¼ cup olive oil

1 small capsicum - chopped

1 onion – finely chopped

1 clove garlic – finely chopped

¼ cup flat leaf parsley – finely chopped

½ cup fresh basil – finely chopped

12 eggs

½ cup grated parmesan

salt & pepper to taste

¼ cup black olives – sliced

¼ cup sundried tomatoes – chopped

1 tomato – sliced into thin slices

1 tbsp fresh rosemary leaves

Dressing

2 shallots – chopped

2 tbsp flat leafed parsley – chopped

¼ cup olive oil

2 tbsp white vinegar

2 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp honey

Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F

Pour half of the olive oil into a heavy bottomed pan and add onion, capsicum and garlic. Cook on medium until the vegetables have softened.

Add the parsley and basil and stir for a few seconds. Turn of the heat and set aside.

Beat the eggs in a bowl, adding the parmesan, salt, pepper, olives and sundried tomatoes.

Add the cooked vegetables and stir. Then pour the mixture back into the pan.

Place the tomatoes slices and rosemary leaves on top and bake in the oven for 20 minutes.

In the meantime, combine all the dressing ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth. Set aside.

Turn off oven and leave the frittata for another 20 minutes.

Serve warm or cold with some of the dressing spooned over the top.