Asparagus and Ham Frittata with Fresh Herbs
Asparagus and ham frittata is a light and healthy meal for any time of day. It's both elegant and rustic, easy to tweak to your tastes, and can be made in under 20 minutes once it's prepped.
Servings: 6 servings
Cost: $1.28 per serving
Ingredients
For the Cheese Topping
- 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
- ½ cup herbed goat cheese or honied goat cheese for a sweeter flavor profile
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill chopped or torn, plus additional for garnish
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt divided
- ½ teaspoon black pepper divided
For the Frittata
- 10 large eggs lightly beaten
- ⅔ cup half and half or whole milk
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ½ to ¾ cup smoked ham chopped
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup asparagus peeled and snapped into 1-inch pieces
- ½ cup chives sliced
- 1 tablespoon fresh marjoram chopped or torn
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped or torn
- ½ tablespoon fresh fennel fronds torn
- lemon zest from 1 lemon
Instructions
Making the Cheese Topping
- Combine the ricotta and goat cheeses along with the fresh dill and lemon juice in a food processor until very smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Scrape into a bowl and set aside.
Cooking the Frittata
- Preheat oven broiler. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, half and half, olive oil, chives, and ¼ teaspoon each Kosher salt and black pepper.
- Using a 10-inch to 12-inch broiler-proof skillet, melt the butter. Add the ham and the asparagus and cook over medium high heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Move around the skillet to prevent burning. Remove skillet from the heat.
- Pour egg mixture over the ham and asparagus. Use a rubber spatula to 'guide' the ham and asparagus so that the pieces are evenly distributed. Place the skillet back over medium heat and allow to cook, undisturbed, for 5 minutes.
- Using your rubber spatula, tilt the skillet slightly while lifting the edges of the eggs so that uncooked portions of egg flow underneath. Do this all the way around the frittata. Top will still be uncooked.
- Carefully place the skillet 5 t 6 inches from the broiler element. Broil for 1 to 3 minutes until top of frittata is set and eggs begin to turn golden brown.
Garnishing & Serving
- Remove the skillet and allow frittata to rest for ten minutes. During the rest, zest a lemon over the entire surface of the frittata. Scatter the marjoram, parsley, and fennel fronds over top. Spoon the cheese mixture over top and finish with zest and herbs.
- Serve immediately or wait to add cheese mixture if you prefer to serve at room temperature.
Notes
- You must have a broil-proof skillet because this asparagus frittata finishes under the broiler. A well-buttered cast iron will work, but an enameled cast iron or broil-proof non-stick will work best. Trust me, you won't be dining on anything with a plastic handle that melts and smokes in your oven!
- Sauté the asparagus and ham first to cook off excess moisture. This prevents a watery frittata and ensures a great flavor.
- Avoid overcooking to prevent a dry or rubbery frittata. Cook over medium heat on the stovetop until it's browned underneath, then finish in the oven until the top is browned.
- Wait to top the frittata with the cheese mixture if you prefer to serve at room temperature.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 352kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 366mg | Sodium: 637mg | Potassium: 309mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1452IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 202mg | Iron: 3mg