Fried eggs are the source of fierce debates over texture and tone; scrambled eggs are valued by how unresisting and cream-like they are; omelettes give us a reason to be ever-reaching toward perfection.
So why is it that we broil our frittatas? Once we expose a thin layer of egg to a hot pan and oven — rather than wanting to protect it — suddenly delicacy isn’t our concern.
Maybe it’s the cheese, or the accrual of distracting vegetables and meats, that allow us to take the pressure off the eggs. Both may be true, but this leaves a lot of room for improvement.
This is where Andrew Feinberg, chef at Franny's and Marco's in Brooklyn, can help. "Instead of cooking the eggs quickly in a hot oven," he told me, "I cook them slowly in a low oven, and the result is a very custardy and creamy texture that traditional frittatas do not have." It's confusing that we didn't think of this before.
But there’s much more to the genius of his recipe than just babying the eggs. As much care goes into every other piece, so that the frittata isn’t just a receptacle for what odds and ends you already have, limited by their merits, but a reason to cook in the first place. When you address each component with intention, there isn’t room for textures to bore you, or flavors to clash. Ingredients won’t surprise you by cooking too slow or too fast, or being too wet or dry or ungainly.
Feinberg starts by roasting the broccoli in a smarter way: He slices each floret in half, making long, exposed flat sides to rest and sear against the pan. He starts them sizzling on the stovetop, then flips and finishes them in the oven, as you would a steak.
You end up with every piece evenly browned across the flat stretches, frizzled at the edges, and tender and sweet inside. This well-crisped and caramelized broccoli would be a star on its own (or in a warm salad, or on a sandwich), but it also holds up especially well under a blanket of egg.
You’ll also add plenty of other attractions to the eggs — grated Parmesan, soft snarls of red onion, lots of garlic sautéed with chile flakes, plus plenty of olive oil to carry the flavors around.
But all of this won’t result in too much richness, because you’ll serve with another sharp flicker of olive oil and Parmesan, and a squeeze of lemon.
Why did we never think of seasoning eggs with lemon before? Avgolemono and citrus custards might have hinted at its promise, but, like vinegar, it's a surprise, until you learn how good it is.
This also means Feinberg's frittata will brighten any winter breakfast (and lunches too — it makes a great not-sad desk sandwich).
Adapted slightly from Andrew Feinberg, chef/owner of Franny's and Marco's in Brooklyn
Serves 4
10 large eggs
2 1/2 Tbsp. grated Parmigiano Reggiano, plus more for serving
1 tsp. kosher salt, plus more to taste
40 turns from a black pepper mill
7 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for serving
1 medium (1-lb.) head of broccoli (4 cups once trimmed)
1/2 red onion, sliced thinly
1 heaping Tbsp. chopped garlic
1/8 tsp. plus a large pinch of dried chile flakes
1 squeeze lemon, to taste, for serving
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Crack the eggs and whisk together with the Parmigiano Reggiano, 1 teaspoon salt, and black pepper, and set aside.
Trim 1/2 inch off the stem of the broccoli. Using a knife, separate all the florets from the base leaving the stem attached and then cut floret pieces in half (you can cut any especially large ones in quarters so all are evenly sized). In a 10- to 11-inch oven-safe sauté pan over medium-high heat, cook the broccoli in 4 tablespoons of olive oil. Let the broccoli develop a nice brown color on one side, then turn everything over and season to taste with kosher salt.
Transfer the pan to the oven and roast the broccoli until tender, 10 to 15 minutes. In a separate 10- to 11-inch sauté pan, cook the onion in 2 tablespoons of olive oil, adding kosher salt to taste. Cook the onions for about 3 to 5 minutes over medium-high heat until lightly browned. Reserve onions on the side.
Once the broccoli is fully roasted and tender, transfer the sauté pan back to the stovetop and reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees.
Over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the broccoli pan and add the garlic and chile. Cook the garlic and chile for 1 minute carefully so as not to burn the garlic. Add the cooked onions to the sauté pan with the broccoli and mix well. Add the egg and cheese mixture and let cook for 30 seconds over high heat.
Transfer the pan to the 300 degree oven and let the frittata cook until the eggs are just set. Should be about 25 to 30 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and then turn the frittata out with a rubber spatula onto a serving plate. Squeeze lemon juice over the top, drizzle extra virgin olive oil, and sprinkle with Parmigiano Reggiano to taste.
This article originally appeared on Food52.com: http://food52.com/blog/11768-andrew-feinberg-s-slow-baked-broccoli-frittata
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