A basic Italian ‘frittata’ recipe,
easy to make in minutes

This frittata recipe with courgettes (zucchini) is the basic Tuscan version of an easily made dish to add to your repertoire of Italian picnic food - and find more recipes from Italy here!

‘Frittata’

... was traditionally a very basic recipe made in particular by country people to use up leftover food.

A frittata recipe can therefore contain more or less anything you like : meat, fish, vegetables, or all three at once! It’s eaten mainly at lunchtime as a snack, but is also used as Italian picnic food.

This recipe uses the very basic ingredients and originated in Tuscany but can now be found on menus all over Italy, and in most Italian picnic baskets.  It’s prepared and cooked in a maximum of twenty minutes.

If you’d like a more complex Italian frittata recipe have a look at this link - but our advice is to try our basic recipe first. It's absolutely delicious.

Ingredients

✮  I large onion

✮  5 courgettes (zucchini)

✮  5 large fresh eggs

✮  Extra virgin olive oil

✮  Salt and pepper

How to make it

✮  Dice the onions and slice the courgettes (zucchini) as thinly as possible.

✮  Using a large flat-bottomed non-stick frying pan, heat the oil and add the onion. Fry very gently until they are soft and transparent - do not allow them to colour.

✮  Add the sliced courgettes (zucchini), mix in with the onions and cook very gently for about ten minutes until they have begun to go brown.

✮  In a separate bowl, beat the eggs together with as much or as little pepper as you like.  When they have combined, add a pinch of salt immediately before cooking.

✮  Pour the egg mix into the pan and, using a wooden spoon, make sure the egg is spread evenly among the vegetables.

✮  Cook very gently for about five minutes, until the base of the frittata begins to brown.

✮  Now for the exciting part! Using a pan lid or plate, put it over the frying pan and turn the frittata out so that the cooked side is facing you.

✮  Now slide the frittata back into the pan, with the side that was previously on the base of the pan (the browned side) facing up.

✮  Cook for about another two minutes on a gentle heat, then turn onto a serving plate and cut into wedges to serve.

Buon Appetito!

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Serve this frittata recipe with a simple salad - have a look at our easy Italian recipes for a salad dressing.

If you’re getting ready for a picnic and want a theme from Italy, try this Italian finger food recipe.

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