What is a Frittata?

A frittata is similar to an omelet, but it isn’t made like an omelet. It also, at some point, goes into the oven, so you need a skillet with an oven-safe handle. I never seemed to have such a skillet and always made mine on top of the stove, but I did yearn to make an oven frittata because they puff up and look amazing when they come out of the oven.

Now, thanks to Home Goods, which sells top of the line cookware at a reasonable price (maybe they will want to pay me for this tip (ha ha), I found a very nice skillet to use for my bacon and potato frittata.

The only problem I had was remembering to use an oven mitt after the skillet was cooling on a rack because the handle stayed so hot. Of course I already have the burn to prove how sensible this advice is if I had only taken it.

What’s In a Low Fodmap Frittata?

This recipe calls for 3 or 4 slices of bacon, red potatoes, green scallions, garlic infused oil or butter, eggs, herbs, and a splash of milk. These are all ingredients most of us always have on hand. So assemble the ingredients, preheat the oven, take out a skillet with an oven-proof handle and get ready to make an eye-popping bacon and potato frittata.

***If bacon doesn’t agree with you, leave it out. Also parmesan cheese is mild and free of lactose, but if it’s too much for you, leave it out. Same with the cheddar. Substitute whatever (if any) cheese you can tolerate. See IBS Advice.

Ingredients:

2 – 3 slices of bacon, cut up or diced fine (however you want your bacon)

2 red potatoes, diced in 1/2″ dice

4 – 6 eggs, lightly beaten

3 tbsp. of milk. lactose free or alternative milk

1/2 a bunch of green scallion stems, diced fine

1 clove garlic, infused in the oil or butter and then removed

Handful of fresh herbs, finely chopped, like basil, thyme, chives

2 – 3 tbsp. butter

2-3 tbsp. mild olive oil or vegetable oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Dash of hot sauce (optional)

2 tbsp. or more of grated parmesan cheese

3 tbsp. shredded cheddar cheese (or cheese of choice)

Directions:

low fodmap frittata — Low Fodmap Frittata

Preheat the oven to 350 º. Take out an oven safe skillet such as this one.

Wash and then peel the potatoes. Cut them into 1/2 ” dice and then dry the potato cubes with a paper towel. They won’t fry well if they are still wet. Set the potatoes aside.

Dice up the green stems of a bunch of scallions. Do not include the white scallion bulbs which are high in fodmaps. Peel a clove of garlic and sauté or infuse the butter or oil or both with the garlic. Then remove the garlic. Now you have the garlic flavor, but not the high fodmaps in the garlic clove. Cut up the bacon slices and set them aside. Shred the herbs.

Break the eggs into a small bowl. Add the milk, salt, and pepper. Add dash of hot sauce, if using. With a fork, lightly beat the eggs until they are combined. Set aside the bowl.

Place the skillet on medium high heat and add 1 tbsp. of oil. Heat the oil until hot and shimmering. Throw in the bacon and diced scallion stems., and stir it around until the bacon browns and renders its fat and the onion stems soften and become slightly translucent. Remove the browned bacon mixture to a bowl.

If the skillet has burned bits on the bottom, quickly wash it out. Return it to the stove, add 2 tbsp of oil and heat again on medium high until the oil is shimmering. Add the dried potato cubes in a single layer and let them brown without turning for 3 minutes. Check to see if the underside is golden and crusty.

When all the potatoes have a nice crust on the bottom, with a wide spatula, turn them and brown the other side.

*** If this is too much fat, fry your potato cubes in a non-stick skillet using olive oil spray. Set aside until ready to add to the frittata.***

Then remove them and drain them on a paper towel.

Meantime, add 2 – 3 tbsp. of butter to the skillet, reduce heat to medium, and let the butter start foaming. Make sure the entire bottom of the pan is covered with foaming butter. Add in the garlic clove, sliced or cut in two, and stir it around until it has infused the butter or oil with garlic flavor. Then remove the garlic.

Add in the potatoes, bacon, scallion stems mix and finally the beaten eggs. Also add the shredded herbs, if using them. Don’t stir. Let it cook for several minutes. (If you fried your potato cubes separately in a non-stick skillet, add them in here at this step.)

You will see the edges of the frittata start pulling away from the sides of the pan and not stick. Lovely. That is what you want. Don’t touch it. When sides are slightly puffed, but the middle is still semi- liquid, using an oven-mitt, grab the handle of the skillet and place it in the preheated oven. Let it cook for 5 – 10 minutes.

Slide out the oven rack and sprinkle the top of the skillet with both cheeses. Slide it back in and bake until the frittata looks golden, puffed and no longer liquid in the center. (3 – 5 minutes) Take it out of the oven and place it on a rack. By now, it smells heavenly, the cheese looks crusty and melted,

and when you cut into it you can see the fried potatoes and bacon chunks. Slide the frittata onto a plate, cut it into wedges and serve it right away with a crisp green salad and a lovely glass of iced green tea with lemon. And now I am going to heat up a piece from the frittata I made this morning and bask in the divineness of this Italian egg dish.