The music of pain

Once in a while, one of you will catch me listening to some country music on the radio, when there's nothing else on. You make fun of me because, you say, the songs are all about a very limited number of subjects, mostly booze, pickup trucks, and broken hearts. Well, you can't fault country music for the latter, which is covered in plenty of classical, rock, pop, and every other type of song as well. It's just that country songs have a special way of putting things that gets right to the (broken) heart of the matter.

Recently, we were re-watching some episodes of the greatest of all TV shows, Buffy the Vampire Slayer. In "Prophecy Girl," the twelfth and last episode of Season 1, Buffy refuses Xander's invitation to accompany him to a school dance, because she doesn't think of him "that way." So Xander decides not to go the dance at all. Instead, "I'm just gonna go home, lie down, and listen to country music. The music of pain." Later in the show, we see Xander lying in bed listening to "I Fall to Pieces" by Patsy Cline. That is a classic scene, made that much better by the use of appropriately painful country music.

*********

We are working through some core dishes this summer for Cassie to cook for herself at college, and frittatas are high on the list. I previously posted recipes for a frittata with potato and spinach and a frittata with mushrooms, but this is the most basic frittata of all, incorporating just a little Parmesan and some fresh herbs. I'm also including a half recipe, using just three eggs, if you're cooking for yourself. That's what is shown in the pictures below.

Puffy frittata straight out of the oven

Frittata with Parmesan and Fresh Herbs

Time: ~20 minutes

Fresh herbs are best, but if you don’t have any, you can substitute no more than 1 teaspoon of a blend like “Italian Seasoning” or a little bit of dried oregano.

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium shallot or ½ small onion, finely diced (~¼ cup)
6 large eggs, preferably farm-fresh
⅓ cup (20 grams) freshly grated Parmesan or Grana Padano cheese
2 tablespoons minced fresh herbs such as basil, oregano, and/or parsley (see note)
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper

    1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Heat the oil in an ovenproof 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the shallot or onion and sauté until translucent and softened but not browned, 3 to 5 minutes depending on whether you’re using shallot (less time) or onion (more).
    2. Meanwhile, crack the eggs into a large bowl. Add the grated cheese, herbs, a good pinch of salt, and a few twists of black pepper. Beat lightly with a whisk or a fork until the mixture is uniform.
    3. Add the egg mixture to the skillet, and stir gently to evenly distribute the shallot or onion and herbs. Once the bottom of the frittata is set, lift the edges with a thin silicone spatula to allow some uncooked egg to flow underneath. Repeat until the egg on top is mostly cooked. Put the pan in the oven and bake until the frittata is set on top, dry to the touch, and puffed (it will deflate when you flip it), about 5 minutes.
    4. Carefully remove the hot pan from the oven (don't forget the pot holder or oven mitt!). Run the spatula around the edge of the pan to loosen the frittata. Carefully invert onto a plate or platter, and cut into quarters. Serves 2 to 4.

Frittata with Parmesan and Fresh Herbs for One

Time: ~20 minutes

Fresh herbs are best, but if you don’t have any, you can substitute no more than ½ teaspoon of a blend like “Italian Seasoning” or a little bit of dried oregano.

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 small shallot, finely diced (~2 tablespoons)
3 large eggs, preferably farm-fresh
scant 3 tablespoons (10 grams) freshly grated Parmesan or Grana Padano cheese
1 tablespoon minced fresh herbs such as basil, oregano, and/or parsley (see note)
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper

    1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Heat the oil in an ovenproof 8-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the shallot and sauté until translucent and softened but not browned, about 3 minutes.
    2. Meanwhile, crack the eggs into a medium bowl. Add the grated cheese, herbs, a good pinch of salt, and a few twists of black pepper. Beat lightly with a whisk or a fork until the mixture is uniform.
    3. Add the egg mixture to the skillet, and stir gently to evenly distribute the shallot or onion and herbs. Once the bottom of the frittata is set, lift the edges with a thin silicone spatula to allow some uncooked egg to flow underneath. Repeat until the egg on top is mostly cooked. Put the pan in the oven and bake until the frittata is set on top, dry to the touch, and puffed (it will deflate when you flip it), about 4 minutes.
    4. Carefully remove the hot pan from the oven (don't forget the pot holder or oven mitt!). Run the spatula around the edge of the pan to loosen the frittata. Carefully invert onto a plate or platter, and cut into quarters. Serves 1 or 2.