Frittata is the quintessential Italian meal. You can flavor it with anything you have on hand, and one of my favorite ways is adding dollops of fresh ricotta. Ricotta is a by-product of cheesemaking: after the curds for the cheese are drained from the whey, the whey is recooked with the addition of some milk, and soft ricotta curds slowly form. Ricotta is delicious, and Italians use it in just about any dish, from appetizer to pasta to soup to desserts, and, as here, in frittatas as well. The Italian American immigrants continued this tradition of using ricotta, and it can be found in a lot of Italian American kitchens. Since it was also easy to have a couple of chickens on hand in the backyard, we always had some fresh eggs. When there is nothing else in the house except eggs, this is the meal to make.

　　

Ingredients

serves 4 to 6

　　3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

　　1 large onion, sliced 1/4 inch thick

　　1 large ripe tomato, sliced 1/2 inch thick

　　8 large eggs

　　1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

　　8 large basil leaves, shredded

　　1/2 cup grated Grana Padano or Parmigiano-Reggiano

　　6 tablespoons fresh ricotta, drained

　　

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

　　

Step 2

Heat the oil in a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Slip in the onion and cook until softened, about 5 to 6 minutes. Push onion slices to one side of the skillet, and lay the tomato slices in one layer in the cleared space. Sear the tomato, turning once until the slices soften just at the edges, about 30 seconds per side. Remove the tomato to a plate, and let the onion continue to cook while you prepare the eggs.

　　

Step 3

Beat the eggs with the salt in a bowl. Stir in the basil and 1/4 cup of the grated cheese until well mixed.

　　

Step 4

Spread the onion slices in an even layer in the bottom of the skillet. Pour the eggs on top, and let cook over medium-low heat until the eggs begin to set around the edges of the pan, about 2 to 3 minutes.

　　

Step 5

Arrange the tomato slices on top of the frittata and drop tablespoons of the ricotta between the tomato slices. Sprinkle all over with the remaining grated cheese. Bake the frittata until it is set all the way through and the top is golden, about 18 minutes. Let rest for a few minutes, then run a knife around the edge of the skillet and invert onto a plate or cutting board. Serve in wedges, warm or at room temperature.

　　Reprinted with permission from Lidia's Italy in America by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich and Tanya Bastianich Manuali. Copyright © 2011 by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich and Tanya Bastianich Manuali. Excerpted by permission of Knopf, a division of Random House, Inc. All rights reserved. Buy the full book from Amazon or Bookshop.