Equipment
Ingredients
Core Ingredients
- 150 g asparagus, tough ends snapped off, cut into 2cm pieces
- 15 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 30 g parmesan cheese, finely grated
- 10 g fresh chervil, roughly chopped
Seasonings
- 3 g kosher salt
- 1 g black pepper, freshly cracked
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 286 kcal
- Protein
- 21 g
- Carbohydrates
- 7 g
- Fat
- 21 g
- Fiber
- 4 g
- Sugar
- 2 g
- Sodium
- 903 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 6 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 10 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 3 g
- Cholesterol
- 382 mg
- Potassium
- 340 mg
- Calcium
- 256 mg
- Iron
- 3.6 mg
- Magnesium
- 31 mg
- Phosphorus
- 342 mg
- Zinc
- 2.2 mg
- Vitamin A
- 229 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 6 mg
- Vitamin D
- 2.1 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 3.0 mg
- Vitamin K
- 37 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.3 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 1.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.15 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.62 mg
- Niacin
- 0.8 mg
- Folate
- 87 mcg
- Water
- 151 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F). Gather and measure all ingredients.
Place the diced asparagus in the oven-safe skillet. Drizzle with half of the olive oil and season with a pinch of salt. Roast in the preheated oven for 8 minutes, or until the asparagus is tender and bright green.
While the asparagus roasts, vigorously whisk the eggs, grated parmesan, chopped chervil, remaining salt, and black pepper in a mixing bowl until completely unified and frothy.
Carefully remove the hot skillet from the oven using an oven mitt. Place it on the stovetop over medium heat. Add the remaining olive oil and swirl to coat the bottom and sides of the pan thoroughly.
Pour the egg mixture directly over the hot asparagus. Let it cook undisturbed on the stovetop for 2 to 3 minutes until the edges begin to pull away and set.
Transfer the skillet back into the 200°C (400°F) oven. Bake for 5 to 6 minutes, just until the center of the frittata is set and slightly puffed. Do not overbake.
Remove the frittata from the oven and allow it to rest in the pan for 2 minutes to stabilize. Carefully run a spatula around the edges, slide onto a cutting board, slice into wedges, and serve.
Chef's Notes
- For a fluffier texture, ensure the eggs are thoroughly whisked until no white streaks remain. Incorporating air is the key to a light, pillowy frittata.
- If fresh chervil is unavailable, fresh tarragon makes a great substitute. However, tarragon has a much more pronounced anise flavor, so use only half the amount.
- Always use a heatproof, oven-safe skillet like a well-seasoned cast iron or carbon steel pan to transition safely and smoothly from stovetop to oven.
- Roasting the asparagus first concentrates its earthy sweetness and eliminates excess moisture that could otherwise make your egg mixture watery.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Wrap tightly or store in an airtight container to prevent eggs from absorbing odors.
Reheating: Microwave on medium power for 45 to 60 seconds, or warm gently in a 150C/300F oven.
Troubleshooting
Frittata is rubbery and tough
Cause: The eggs were overcooked in the oven
Fix: Cannot be fixed
Prevention: Pull the frittata out of the oven the moment the center stops jiggling; residual heat will finish cooking it.
Frittata is stuck to the pan
Cause: Insufficient fat coating the pan sides, or the pan was not adequately pre-heated before adding eggs
Fix: Run a thin, flexible spatula firmly around the edges and underneath to release before attempting to slide it out.
Prevention: Ensure the oil is swirled up the sides of the hot pan right before the egg mixture is poured in.
Cultural Context
The frittata is a quintessential Italian dish, originally born out of the necessity to minimize food waste by combining leftover vegetables, pastas, and meats with eggs. Unlike a classic French omelette which is folded and cooked entirely on the stovetop, the traditional frittata is started on the burner and finished in the oven, yielding a hearty, sliceable meal. The inclusion of chervil in this variation provides a subtle nod to French culinary traditions, seamlessly bridging two rustic European cooking styles.
