Frittata or Tortilla - what's in a name? - Smoked Fine Food (2024)

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Frittata or Tortilla - what's in a name? - Smoked Fine Food (1)

We could spend ages debating if this dish is a frittata or a tortilla – but that would miss the point of the dish! I think of it as a frittata – but do have a look at the footnote! We had been baking the last of our supply of small (1951) potatoes from Carroll’s Heritage potatoesthat were going a little soft. To avoid wasting them we were using them to make both a potato skin starter and cooked potatoes to use as a mashed potato.

This is one of the uses that we put the cooked potato to – Frittata!! The Frittata (Italian) and the Tortilla (Spanish) are very similar.The main difference between them seems to behow the eggs are finished. Both begin with the filling and the eggs, cooked on a hobin a frying pan.

Frittata or Tortilla - what's in a name? - Smoked Fine Food (2)

The frittata is traditionally finished in the oven and thetortillas are flipped and finished on the hob. As the BGE is both a ‘hob’ and an ‘oven’ this dish is either a Frittata or a Tortilla – depending on the mood you are in at the time!!

Frittata or Tortilla - what's in a name? - Smoked Fine Food (3)

These dishes are great for ‘clearing the fridge’ as all sorts of mixtures can work well. We started by dry frying some slightly tired mushrooms.
Once the mushrooms had taken on a little colour we added a little chopped pepper (about half) and some diced shallots and just a splash of oil. Once they had reasonably softened, they were removed from the pan and set to oneside.

Frittata or Tortilla - what's in a name? - Smoked Fine Food (4)As always when cooking with the BGE whenever you are not doing anything in the EGG, it was kept closed. The potato that had been scooped out of the potato skins was dropped into the pan and gently sautéd.

Frittata or Tortilla - what's in a name? - Smoked Fine Food (5)

Once it was getting warm, a large handful of spinach was stirred into the potato and allowed to wilt down.

Frittata or Tortilla - what's in a name? - Smoked Fine Food (6)At this stage the hot potato and spinach was added to the mushrooms and peppers that had been put to one side. The 3 eggs were beaten and then stirred through this mixture. All that was left to do was to finish off the cooking of the egg.

Frittata or Tortilla - what's in a name? - Smoked Fine Food (7)The whole mix was stirred into the frying pan and the lid of the BGE was closed leaving the egg to set.

Once the liquid egg on top of the frittata was just about set the frittata was slipped out of the pan onto a cutting board. It was then flipped back into the pan ‘upside-down’ – allowing the top to colour slightly. For a traditional frittata rather than flip it over, this would be coloured under the grill, but this works beautifully in the BGE.

The frittata was then flipped back over for serving. Frittata or Tortilla - what's in a name? - Smoked Fine Food (8)We served the first 2 portions straight from the pan with some fresh bread. It was every bit as good the following day, served cold with a salad. Which everway you chose, this is a great dish for breakfasts, lunches or light suppers.

………………… do give it a go!!

Footnote:

The Italian word frittata derives from friggere and roughly means “fried”. This was originally a general term for cooking eggs in a skillet, anywhere on the spectrum from fried egg, through conventional omelette, to an Italian version of the Spanish omelette, made with fried potato. Outside Italy, frittata was seen as equivalent to “omelette” until at least the mid-1950s.[1]

Frittata or Tortilla - what's in a name?

August 20, 2020

: 4 servings

: 10 min

: 20 min

: 30 min

: Easy

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By: Mark

Frittata or Tortilla - what's in a name? - Smoked Fine Food (9)

Ingredients
  • Baked potato flesh or mashed potato
  • Handful of spinach
  • Handful of mushrooms.
  • Half a chopped pepper
  • Diced shallots
  • A little oil.
  • Three or four eggs
Directions
  • Step 1 Dry fry (no oil) the mushrooms. Once they have taken on a little colour add the chopped pepper and the diced shallots and just a little oil. When reasonably softened – remove and set to one side.
  • Step 2 Take some pre-baked potato flesh or some mashed potatoes and sauté in the pan. Add a large handful of spinach once the potatoes are warm, stir into the potato and allowed it to wilt down. Once the spinach has wilted, add the potato and spinach mix to the mushrooms and peppers that had been put to one side. Beat the 3 eggs and stir through this mixture.
  • Step 3 The whole mix should be stirred into the frying pan on the BGE and the lid of the BGE was closed leaving the egg to set.
  • Step 4 Once the liquid egg on top of the frittata is just about set the frittata should be slipped out of the pan onto a cutting board. It was then flipped back into the pan ‘upside-down’ – allowing the top to colour slightly.
  • Step 5 Flip the frittata back over for serving. Serve hot with some fresh bread or serve cold with a salad.

Related

Filed Under: Fungi, Plant-Centric, Potatoes, Vegetarian

Tags: Mushroom, Vegetarian

Frittata or Tortilla - what's in a name? - Smoked Fine Food (2024)

FAQs

Frittata or Tortilla - what's in a name? - Smoked Fine Food? ›

The main difference between them seems to be how the eggs are finished. Both begin with the filling and the eggs, cooked on a hob in a frying pan. The frittata is traditionally finished in the oven and the tortillas are flipped and finished on the hob.

What is the difference between a tortilla and a frittata? ›

Tortilla Espanola is more dense and tender, thanks to layers of thinly sliced velvety potatoes. A frittata is thinner and typically dryer. Cooking Technique. You can cook both omelettes entirely in a skillet on the stovetop, but often times, frittata is finished in the oven.

What does frittata contain? ›

Frittatas are an Italian dish consisting of cooked eggs with other ingredients added in like meat, vegetables, or cheese. Unlike omelets and scrambled eggs, frittatas are not moved or folded over as they're cooked. The frittata is cooked whole, without disturbing, in one large piece.

Is a frittata the same as an omelette? ›

While it's similar to an omelet, crustless quiche, and Spanish tortilla, the way a frittata is cooked is what sets it apart. Frittatas are generally thicker than omelets. A frittata is made with the exact same ingredients as an omelet, but here, the milk, or more preferably, cream, is crucial.

What's healthier frittata or omelette? ›

But unlike omelets, egg frittatas can serve a family fast. And unlike most egg recipes, a four-serving frittata cooks all at once without any flipping or fuss. Plus, since there's no crust (like quiches), it makes it a healthier breakfast option.

What are the three types of tortillas? ›

Soft tortillas are the traditional base for Mexican fajitas or burritos—but, depending on the type of flour or cornmeal used, these thin round flatbreads can vary widely in calories, sodium, and more.

What kind of cheese is best for frittata? ›

For a standard 12-egg frittata, stir in about one cup (shred it first). Want to top the eggs with cheese, too? Shoot for ¼ to ½ cup more. If it's an oozing texture you're after, pick cheeses that have superior melting quality: "This is your cheddar, gruyère, and fontina," says Perry.

What is the best pan for frittata? ›

The best choice for making frittatas, cast iron skillets can safely go from stovetop to oven, and they conduct heat well and evenly. Seasoning a cast-iron pan gives it a non-stick quality, so a well-seasoned skillet will result in the easiest slicing & serving.

What do the French call a frittata? ›

The word omelet is basic French while the Italians call their version a frittata.

What foods are similar to frittata? ›

In addition to sharing some ingredients in common with quiche and strata, a frittata resembles an omelet in so far as it's cooked in a skillet on a cooktop with similar ingredients.

What ethnicity is a frittata? ›

Frittata is an egg-based Italian dish similar to an omelette or crustless quiche or scrambled eggs, enriched with additional ingredients such as meats, cheeses, or vegetables. The word frittata is Italian and roughly translates to 'fried'.

Does a frittata have a crust? ›

Crust: A quiche has crust while a frittata does not. Sometimes, quiche is baked without crust.

Is a tortilla an omelette? ›

The word tortilla, which is the diminutive form of torta, literally means 'small cake'. In European Spanish and in some variants of Latin American Spanish, it means omelette. A potato omelette is a tortilla de patatas or papas.

What is the difference between a frittata and a tortilla Espanola? ›

The Frittata (Italian) and the Tortilla (Spanish) are very similar. The main difference between them seems to be how the eggs are finished. Both begin with the filling and the eggs, cooked on a hob in a frying pan. The frittata is traditionally finished in the oven and the tortillas are flipped and finished on the hob.

What is a frittata in English? ›

A frittata is an egg dish that's usually made with meat, cheese, and vegetables. You can think of a frittata as an Italian omelette. The origin of the word frittata is the Italian friggere, "fried," and in Italy it was once a common way to describe any egg dish cooked in butter or oil in a pan.

What is the main difference between a quiche and frittata? ›

Origin: Frittata is an Italian dish whereas quiche is a French dish. Crust: A quiche has crust while a frittata does not. Sometimes, quiche is baked without crust. Base Ingredients: While both frittatas and quiches are made with eggs, quiche is made with an egg custard, which also includes cream or milk.

Is a tortilla the same as an omelette? ›

The word tortilla, which is the diminutive form of torta, literally means 'small cake'. In European Spanish and in some variants of Latin American Spanish, it means omelette. A potato omelette is a tortilla de patatas or papas.

What is the definition of a frittata? ›

Other forms: frittatas. A frittata is an egg dish that's usually made with meat, cheese, and vegetables. You can think of a frittata as an Italian omelette. The origin of the word frittata is the Italian friggere, "fried," and in Italy it was once a common way to describe any egg dish cooked in butter or oil in a pan.

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