A frittata is an omelette of Italian origin that is thick, almost like a crustless quiche. It’s perfect for brunch, lunch or dinner. You can put almost anything in a frittata and it’s a great way to use up any leftovers. My favourite ingredients are mushrooms, onions, red peppers, cheese and parsley. These ingredients not only go very well together, they lend a beautiful vibrant colour to the dish!

It looks like a lot more work than it actually is. Here’s how to make this colourful and tasty frittata.

Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C for fan-assisted ovens) / 400°F. Finely chop about two handfuls of mushrooms (I used chestnut mushrooms here), half a red pepper and half a small onion.

Combine the chopped mushrooms, 1/2 cup boiling water and 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a bowl. Soak for 20 minutes.

Don’t discard the liquid. This will add a nice mushroom flavour to the frittata, as you will see below with the bread.

While the mushrooms are soaking, heat some olive oil in a small pan. Add the onions and red peppers and sauté for 2 minutes or so. Remove from heat and let cool.

Beat 7 eggs in a large bowl. After the mushrooms’ soaking time is up, remove the sliced mushrooms with a fork and add to the egg mixture. Make sure you keep the liquid in its bowl.

Soak a slice of bread in the mushroom liquid and then mash it with a fork. Add the mashed bread to the egg mixture. Discard any leftover liquid.

Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, a handful of chopped fresh parsley and 2 tablespoons of red pepper paste to the egg mixture. The red pepper paste is optional but I’ve recently discovered Olive Branch’s Red Pepper Paste from their Greek Mezze range and it goes particularly well with eggs. It also contains a bit of Greek cheese (mizithra) and some fresh chillies so it’s a really tasty addition to the dish. The Red Pepper Paste not only adds flavour, it also gives the frittata its beautiful colour so I highly recommend it!

Add 125g of diced mozzarella and the sautéed onions and red peppers. Gently mix all the ingredients together. Heat some olive oil in an omelette pan, or in a pan that is oven proof (my cake pan did the trick here). Once the olive oil is hot, remove the pan from heat and pour the egg mixture into the pan.

Place on the second-highest oven rack and bake in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes. If the middle of the frittata is still moist, grill (broil) it for 2 or 3 minutes, but keep a close eye so it doesn’t burn. You can check if the frittata is cooked by inserting a knife into the centre. If it comes out clean, the frittata is ready.

Gently detach the sides with a spatula and slide the frittata onto a serving plate. Cut it into 4 wedges and serve immediately. Enjoy watching the mozzarella ooze its way onto the plates!

If you want to add a bit more to your meal, you can serve the frittata with a nice green salad or some crusty bread. Bon appétit!

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