recipe goodness :: secret dilaura family frittata with sweet italian sausage

I think my grandmother would be more proud than angry that I’m sharing her recipe for Frittata with Sweet Italian Sausage. Her frittata evokes memories of the holidays, so I thought it’s the perfect time to share with all of you. Every Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter morning for the past 32-ish solid-food eating years, I have walked into a kitchen smelling of roasted sausage and sweet buttered Italian panettone toast.  Inevitably the kitchen also smelled of grandma’s spaghetti sauce, slowly simmering away for the evening feast. I cannot recount a past holiday when grandma’s frittata was not the start to a day filled with family and good eating. And even now that my grandmother is no longer with us, my dad has taken over as the frittata master — beating, cooking and flipping our breakfast to perfection. Tradition is good.

Her frittata is not rocket science, but requires a little skill with the flipping of a hot pan, which could result in a dozen eggs on your shoes, if unsuccessful! But the finished product is worth the risk and makes for a beautiful breakfast presentation to share with friends and family. We’ve been making this every year with italian sausage, but you can always get creative and substitute veggies, cheese, fresh herbs, whatever!

DiLaura Family Frittata with Sweet Italian Sausage

Serves 5-6 | Prep Time: 5 mins | Cook Time: 40-50 mins. including roasting sausage

1 dozen eggs {2 per person, plus 1-2 extra for good measure}
3/4 lb sweet italian sausage {I love Grazin’ Angus Acres grass-fed beef sausage}
1 TBS olive oil
1/4 C water for thinning
salt and pepper to taste

Step 1: Roast sausage for 30-40 minutes at 375° in a baking dish. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly. {Note: Sausage can be cooked a full day in advance to save time and make the breakfast prep quicker}.

Step 2: Crack eggs into a large bowl and add ~1/4 cup of water, salt and pepper generously {my dad actually uses the very precise method of putting the bowl under the faucet and turning it on for a second to add water}. Beat eggs until a light froth forms on top.

Step 3: Cut each cooked sausage at a 45 degree angle into 1/4-inch thick pieces. Heat a medium sized non-stick omelet pan to medium heat with 1 TBS of olive oil. Place as many slices of sausage as will fit side by side in the bottom of the pan and brown lightly for ~2 minutes. Reserve any excess slices to serve on the side. Using tongs, flip each piece individually and brown the other side.

Step 4: Remove any excess oil with a spoon. Pour beaten egg mixture into pan over browned sausage slices.

Step 5: Using a rubber spatula, continuously move around the side of the pan, pulling the firm egg away from the edges, allowing liquid to pour over the edges and stream to the bottom. Also use the spatula to break through the middle of the frittata creating small holes in the center where egg liquid can seep through the bottom. Be sure to also push the sausage slices into the firming egg. When almost all of the egg liquid has gotten firm, get prepared to flip.

Step 6: Use a platter that is larger than the pan with angled edges. Remove pan from heat, place platter upside down on top of the pan and hold firmly in place. QUICKLY flip pan and platter, angling slightly away from you so any excess liquid won’t run onto your hands or arms {my dad prefers to do this over the sink, just in case he accidently spills, so there is no egg on the floor}.

Step 7: Slide upside down frittata back into the pan from the platter, so the uncooked side is now on the bottom of the pan. Cook 2 more minutes or just enough time to firm the remaining liquid egg. Rinse and dry platter while frittata finishes cooking.

Step 8: Flip the frittata back onto the platter. The last side cooked is less brown and looks better when presented facing up. Cut into equal sized pie slices and enjoy!

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Michael Pollan Agreed With Me, $8 Eggs Are A Good Idea
The Art of Brunching Well @ L’Artusi
A Better Brooklyn Breakfast @ Dizzy’s Finer Diner