Would you like to learn How to Make a Frittata? This page will provide you with step by step directions to making a great frittata at home. While this dish may seem fancy, you will find that it's actually quite easy to prepare.

The frittata originated in Italy and it continues to be a staple there today. Because it is composed primarily of eggs, many people serve a frittata for breakfast or brunch. But this dish can actually be served any time of the day. In Italy, a frittata is often served at room temperature or slightly cool.http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-frittata.htm

A frittata is very similar to an omelet in that it consists of cooking eggs in a skillet, but there are a few differences as well. When preparing an omelet, the eggs are cooked until done on the bottom and then topped with various ingredients. The omelet is then folded and served. A frittata, on the other hand, is cooked on the stove and then placed into the oven to firm. It is served open faced out of the pan.http://homecooking.about.com/od/cookingfaqs/f/faqomelet.htm

If you'd like to add onions to your frittata, you can brush up on How to Slice an Onion. If you will be making your frittata for breakfast or brunch, you may also want to browse Mahalo pages on How to Make Preserves or How to Make Freezer Jam. Homemade preserves and hot toast would go great with a frittata! You might even want to try your hand at preparing your own beverage after reading How to Make Apple Juice.

Once you master breakfast, consider moving on to other food staples, such as How to Make Broth and How to Make Fumet. If you're interested in learning about specialty cooking topics, read up on How to Use a Smoker, How to Make No Can Refrigerator Pickles or How to Use a Pressure Cooker to Can Food.

Before you get started making your frittata, it's a good idea to assemble everything you're going to need first. This will make it much easier for you once the frittata starts to cook. Naturally, you're going to need several eggs.

When you're selecting eggs, try to look for the freshest eggs you can find. If you live near a farmer's market, you may be able to find eggs that were just laid. The fresher the egg, the better your frittata will taste. If you have to buy eggs from the supermarket, don't worry! Refrigerated eggs will work just as well!

The number of eggs you need will depend on how thick you want your frittata to be. Remember, you will not be folding it like you would an omelet. Most likely, you'll serve it by cutting it into wedges, like a quiche. So, you'll want it to be fairly thick. If you're using a 12 inch skillet, you'll need about a dozen eggs to make a thick frittata.http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/cooking/ht/howtofrittata.htm

Have a little salt and pepper on hand, along with milk, cream or half and half. You'll be adding these to the eggs. You'll also need cooking oil. As for the toppings, there are hundreds of different recipes for frittatas available, so you can really add whatever you like to it.

For example, you can make an Italian frittata by adding Italian sausage, fontina cheese, sweet peppers and garlic. A Southwestern frittata may include pepper jack cheese, hot peppers and grilled pork. Many frittata recipes include chopped potato, which adds substance to the dish.http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-frittata.htm

Note: Make sure that whatever you add to the frittata does not contain a large amount of liquid. This will make your frittata runny and will make it difficult to firm up.

You'll also need a 12 inch skillet, preferably cast-iron. If you don't have a cast-iron skillet, use an oven-safe skillet. If you don't have an oven-safe skillet, you can wrap the handle in aluminum foil and then it should be safe to put it in the oven. You will also need a wooden spoon.

Now that you have all of your ingredients and supplies together, you can get started! The first thing you'll want to do is crack the eggs. Do this one at a time into a large bowl. Be sure to check for any eggshells! Once you crack all of the eggs, discard the shells. Beat the eggs by hand using either a wire whisk or a large fork. Add in the salt, pepper, and cream.

If you'll be adding any kind of vegetables to your frittata, wash the vegetables thoroughly. Remove any stems and peel them, if desired, and then chop them roughly. For onions or garlic, you will probably want to chop them finely before adding them to the pan. Saute vegetables in a pan until soft before you add them to your frittata. If you're using any fresh herbs, mince these finely as well.

Before you add any meat, remove any casings or packaging. Then crumble the meat. If you're using raw meat, you will want to brown it lightly first. You can do this by breaking it up and adding to a small skillet. Cook over medium heat until completely browned, then drain off the oil.

If you're adding cheese, you can save time by using pre-shredded cheese. But if you're using block cheese, let it sit out for a few minutes and then use a box grater to shred it. Avoid using sliced cheese, since it will be too thick to melt easily.

It's time to start cooking! Preheat your oven's broiler. Pour about a tablespoon of oil into the skillet and turn the stovetop on to medium. Once the oil is hot, add your egg mixture to the pan.

Cooking the eggs is the trickiest part of making a frittata. The key is to keep the heat under control, so that the eggs don't cook too quickly on the bottom. As the eggs cook, use your wooden spoon to stir them around when you see the edges starting to stick to the pan. Continue cooking and stirring for about 2 minutes.

How do you know when to stop cooking the eggs? You want them to be mostly wet, but slightly cooked. When your eggs look like that, you can stop stirring them. Let them cook for another minute or until the bottom is set.http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/cooking/ht/howtofrittata.htm

Top your frittata by adding the cooked vegetables and meat. Be sure not to place them in a heap, but instead sprinkle them over the top of the eggs. Finish by adding the cheese and herbs, if using, evenly over the surface.

Now you can finish cooking the frittata in the oven. Place the skillet under the broiler for 2 to 4 minutes, or until the top browns. Watch the frittata carefully to avoid scorching. Take the skillet out of the oven and then let it sit for about 5 minutes before slicing.http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/cooking/ht/howtofrittata.htm After you slice it, you can serve it hot, at room temperature, or even slightly cool!