Frittata or Spanish Tortilla Recipes

Frittata or Spanish Tortilla, It is the all the same surely, I bet the Italians and the Spanish would argue for hours.

Both the Frittata recipe and the Spanish Tortilla recipe have the main ingredient as eggs but do the similarities end there. It is an all time classic recipe made from the basic staples of the kitchen, especially the leftovers. It can be the ultimate portable food as well, great for a tasty nutritious working lunch.

Frittata Recipes

Classic Italian Leftovers & Ingredients

Of course the first ingredients would be tomatoes, garlic and basil. Sausage, pancetta, courgette and olive oil. You could quite easily put any of the ingredients together and make a classic Italian Frittata. Every respectable Italian home would have some leftover Ragu, Imagine the deep rich aroma and taste  of a well seasoned ragu running through your frittata.

Spanish Tortilla Recipes

The classic Spanish Tortilla recipe, (not to be confused with the Mexican Tortilla) always has potato on the ingredients list. Ideally they need to be waxy potatoes so they hold their texture during cooking. The added texture to an egg based dish is an added bonus. All to soft or all to hard is not a pleasant experience. Another essential ingredient for the Spanish tortilla recipe  is the onion, well seasoned and gently fried of course. The possibilities do not end with  potatoes and onions as the Spanish have a multitude of excellent ingredients.

Classic Spanish Leftovers & Ingredients

One of my favourite and probably the most versatile Spanish ingredient has to be Chorizo. Smoked with paprika and other spices it has the ability to enhance  flavour in every food it comes into contact with. The Spanish also have their cured meats in the Iberico Ham which would work well in a Tortilla. The Spanish Tortilla also works very well as a Tapas when cut into smaller pieces. The perfect little snack for guest as they walk through the door to eat with their wine.

The Persian Iranian Frittata

Well strictly speaking they do not call it a frittata or a tortilla, it goes by their own name of Kuku. Yes its a new discover for me as well. The Kuku is made with hand fulls of fresh herbs which would often outweigh the egg content. Common herbs used are dill, parsley, coriander spinach and fenugreek leaves. To add the texture in this Persian dish walnuts are often added. This would only be a frugal dish if you had the herbs growing in your own garden as supermarket herbs are expensive.

The Arab world also have their very own egg based dish called the Eggah, these are spiced with cinnamon, cumin and coriander. Adding the spices gives this eggy (tortilla) a very different feels and taste especially with the addition of raisin.

 The Magpie Frittata

As the world food stage is now ever closer to us since the internet revolution nothing could be easier than borrowing recipes from other cultures.  Yes it seems we have all become magpies and we pick and choose the things we like. So the options are endless for your frittata, tortilla, Kuku or is it a stuffed omelette? The basic rules you need to follow are well seasoned eggs, a good frying pan or skillet (mustard be metal handled) and some tasty leftovers to throw into your dish.

The Goats Cheese & Beetroot Frittata

This frittata was made for the wife to take to work purely for my own brownie points. She loves her beetroot and I had recently bought some frozen wedges of beetroot and not managed to do anything with them. I know, I know frozen beetroot wedges what next. I did of course get these whilst they were on offer at Morrison and may not pay the full asking price when we run out.

The next ingredient that was leftover in the fridge was goats cheese so it was simple. Just put the two together in a big fluffy omelette.

Other great Quick snack ideas Creamy Garlic Mushrooms on Toast or Cheesy Pasta Quesadilla

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Spanish Inspired Dishes