10.4.13 Potato and Leek Frittata
Breakfast for dinner is probably one of my favorite things ever. Breakfast and brunch foods are, in my book, the best kind of foods. And since serving them for dinner doubles the amount of breakfast fare one can consume in a given day, I’m all for it. Bring on the brinner!
This week, my CSA box contained an ample supply of leeks and German Butterball potatoes - perfect for making a frittata. And so (as if I needed an excuse) breakfast for dinner ensued. I’m a big fan of the frittata because it combines all of the best breakfast foods into one dish. Eggs - check. Potatoes - check. Bacon - well of course! All of these wonderful components combine to make one delicious uber breakfast food. It really doesn’t get much better in my opinion.
Now, a quick discussion on leeks. If you’ve never cooked with them before, you’re missing out. Leeks are lovely. A relative of the onion, but with a much more subtle flavor - they are absolutely amazing in soups, braises, quiches, and of course frittatas. The dark green part of the leek is very tough - make sure only to use the white and light green parts. And most importantly, while leeks are delicious, they always seem to have dirt and sand lodged in between their layers, so be sure to give them an extra thorough cleaning before using them. With that, I will leave you to your brinner - enjoy!
Potato and Leek Frittata
serves 6
- 1 ½ lbs potatoes, scrubbed and sliced into ¼ inch slices
- 4 strips of bacon cut into small pieces
- 2 leeks, white and light green parts only, cleaned and chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- ½ c grated parmesan cheese
- 6 eggs
- ¼ c milk
- salt and pepper
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Place potato slices in a saucepan and add just enough water to cover the potatoes. Bring to a boil, then cook until potato slices are tender, but still able to hold their shape, about 8-10 minutes. Drain potatoes.
3. While potatoes cook, heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add the bacon pieces and cook until crispy.
4. Remove bacon pieces from pan and set aside. Add the chopped leeks and garlic to the bacon grease in the pan and cook until they are soft and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Season leeks with ¼ tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper. Remove leek mixture from pan and set aside.
5. Arrange half of the potato slices in the bottom of the cast iron pan. Top with half of the leek mixture, followed by the rest of the potatoes and the remaining leeks. Sprinkle bacon pieces and parmesan cheese evenly over the top.
6. Whisk together the eggs, milk, and about ¼ tsp each salt and pepper. Pour evenly over potatoes in pan.
7. Cover pan with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until top is golden brown and puffed. Cool slightly, then cut into wedges and serve.
