Green Garlic, Chive and Red Pepper Frittata

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By now the green garlic I’m buying – actually, the bulbs are pink, but the stalks are green – has set cloves. The long green stalk must be cut away and the papery shells and the middle stalk removed. The cloves are juicy and mild, and I am using them in everything from stir-fries to omelets. Some farmers sell garlic scapes, the curly, green flowering end of the garlic plant. I have yet to find them at my market, but you can find recipes at several Web sites, including this one. They can be used in the same way you might use the green parts of scallions — in salads, omelets and pasta dishes, for example. Next year, when I’m ready to write my now-annual green garlic column, I’ll look hard for scapes so I can include some recipes.

Green Garlic, Chive and Red Pepper Frittata

I love combining ricotta and eggs in a frittata. The resulting frittata has a fluffy texture. This can be eaten cold or hot, and it’s easy to pack for lunch.

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 large red bell pepper, seeded and cut in small dice

2 bulbs green garlic, trimmed of stalks and papery layers, sliced

Salt

6 eggs

1 cup whole-milk ricotta

1/4 cup minced or snipped chives

Freshly ground pepper

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium heat in a heavy 10-inch nonstick skillet and add the bell pepper. Cook, stirring often, until it is tender, 5 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic and salt to taste and cook, stirring often, until tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.

2. Beat the eggs in a large bowl. Whisk in the ricotta, salt (about 1/2 teaspoon) and freshly ground pepper to taste. Stir in the chives and red pepper and garlic mixture. Clean and dry the pan and return to the burner, set on medium-high. Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in the skillet. Hold your hand above it; it should feel hot. Drop a bit of egg into the pan, and if it sizzles and cooks at once, the pan is ready. Pour in the egg mixture. Swirl the pan to distribute the eggs and filling evenly over the surface. Shake the pan gently, tilting it slightly with one hand while lifting up the edges of the frittata with a spatula in your other hand, to let the eggs run underneath during the first few minutes of cooking.

3. Turn the heat down to low, cover and cook 10 minutes, shaking the pan gently every once in a while. From time to time remove the lid and loosen the bottom of the frittata with a wooden or heatproof spatula, tilting the pan, so that the bottom doesn’t burn. The eggs should be just about set on the bottom; cook a few minutes longer if they’re not.

4. Meanwhile, heat the broiler. Uncover the pan and place under the broiler, not too close to the heat, for 1 to 3 minutes, watching very carefully to make sure the top doesn’t burn (at most, it should brown very slightly and puff under the broiler). Remove from the heat, shake the pan to make sure the frittata isn’t sticking and allow it to cool for at least 5 minutes and for up to 15. Loosen the edges with a wooden or plastic spatula. Carefully slide from the pan onto a large round platter. Cut into wedges or into smaller bite-size diamonds. Serve hot, warm, at room temperature or cold.

Yield: 6 servings.

Advance preparation: In Mediterranean countries, flat omelets are served at room temperature, which makes them perfect do-ahead dishes. They’ll keep in the refrigerator for a few days, and they make terrific lunchbox fare. They do not reheat well.

Nutritional information per serving: 204 calories; 15 grams fat; 6 grams saturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 7 grams monounsaturated fat; 207 milligrams cholesterol; 6 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 108 milligrams sodium (does not include salt to taste); 12 grams protein

Martha Rose Shulman is the author of “The Very Best of Recipes for Health.”

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