Name: Red Pepper and Red Onion Frittata with Ricotta and Pecorino Romano
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Ingredients: 1 large red onion, peeled and finely chopped; 1 red pepper/capsicum, stem and seeds removed and finely chopped; 1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon olive oil; ⅛ - ½ teaspoon chilli flakes, to taste (optional); 4 large eggs; 80g ricotta cheese; 20g Pecorino Romano or Parmesan, finely grated; ¼ teaspoon fine salt; ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; extra ricotta cheese; shredded fresh basil

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This Red Pepper and Red Onion Frittata with Ricotta and Pecorino Romano is quick, easy and utterly delicious! You simply sauté chopped red pepper/capsicum and red onion in olive oil until sweet and lightly caramelised, then finish cooking in a luscious combination of beaten egg, ricotta cheese and Pecorino Romano. If you want some heat, just add some chilli flakes. Neither an omelette nor a crustless quiche, but similar to both, frittata make an ideal breakfast, are perfect for lunch or a light supper, with a side salad and/or fresh bread, and they pack up well to take on a picnic.

Italian in origin, frittata are typically fried and then finished either by turning them, popping them in the oven or under the grill. You can add a variety of meats, cheese and vegetables to the mix to make it your own and they are a wonderful way of creating a fabulous, flavourful and nutritious dish when using up the last scraps in the fridge! They can be served hot, warm or at room temperature and are exceptionally easy to make.

I also have a baked frittata recipe which involves no frying; everything is simply mixed together and cooked in the oven. Not exactly traditional but exceptionally tasty nevertheless, and dare I say it, even easier! You can find the recipe for Baked Broccoli and New Potato Frittata with Cheddar Cheese here.

How to make Red Pepper and Red Onion Frittata with Ricotta and Pecorino Romano

This recipe was inspired by and adapted from one posted by Danielle from @haveucoveredinthekitchen. Danielle uses Hatch mild and hot peppers as well as courgette/zucchini in her frittata. It is fabulous!

Collect all your ingredients together:

red onion, peeled and finely chopped
red pepper/capsicum, stem and seeds removed and finely chopped
olive oil
large eggs
ricotta cheese
Pecorino Romano or Parmesan, finely grated
fine salt
freshly ground black pepper
extra ricotta cheese and shredded basil to serve

How to make this amazingly quick dish:

Peel and finely chop the onion and remove the stem and seeds from the red pepper and finely chop.
Heat the oil in an oven-proof frying pan over a moderately hot temperature and add the onion and pepper. Cook, stirring from time to time, until softened and slightly caramelised. Around 5 minutes.Flo and
Meanwhile, finely grate the Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese and mix thoroughly with the eggs, ricotta and salt and pepper.
When the onion and pepper are ready, brush the oil up the sides of the pan so the egg doesn’t stick. Pour in the egg mixture, making sure the vegetables are evenly distributed.
Put back on the heat and continue to cook for around 5 minutes, or until the edges are beginning to set.
Transfer to a preheated oven for 8 – 10 minutes, or until the centre of the egg mixture is cooked to your liking. Make a little cut in the centre of the frittata to check the eggs – if they are still runny, pop back in the oven for a minute or two more, or until cooked.
If you want to brown the top slightly, pop under a grill for a couple of minutes.
Serve hot, warm or at room temperature. Delicious on its own or with some salad and/or fresh bread on the side.

NB The time it takes to cook will depend on the size of the pan you use and hence how deep the frittata is and also your oven. Fewer eggs may take less time and more eggs may take longer.

**Serve with extra ricotta cheese and fresh shredded basil**

Can I make it bigger or smaller?

Yes you can. This recipe is very easy to scale up and down. As a guide, I allow 2 eggs per person. See Recipe Notes for a rough guide on quantities per 1 x egg which you can use to scale up and down.

At what temperature should you serve frittata?

Frittata can be served hot, warm or at room temperature.

What is the best way to store frittata?

Frittata stores well, covered, in the fridge, for up to 3 days. So make a big one and use the leftovers for different meals, such as breakfast or a packed lunch, the following day. If serving from the fridge, do allow time for it to come to room temperature first, or gently warm it before serving.

Can you freeze frittata?

Yes you can! Freeze, covered for up to 3 months. However, do remember that when you freeze vegetables which have a high water content, they may become watery when you defrost them which can affect the texture and consistency of your frittata. Personally, I rarely freeze frittata. It is certainly better eaten when fresh and, as it is such a versatile dish to have available, it tends to disappear before I even think about putting it in the freezer!

Made this recipe?

If you make this recipe, do please tag me on instagram @daffodil_kitchen. You could also leave a comment in the box directly below the recipe.

Red Pepper and Red Onion Frittata with Ricotta and Pecorino Romano

Chopped red pepper/capsicum and red onion sautéed in olive oil until sweet and lightly caramelised, then cooked in a luscious combination of beaten egg, ricotta cheese and Pecorino Romano. Neither an omelette nor a crustless quiche, but similar to both, frittata make an ideal breakfast, are perfect for lunch or a light supper, with a side salad, and they pack up well to take on a picnic.

Course Any

Cuisine Italian

Keyword eggs, pecorino romano, red onion, red pepper, ricotta

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Servings 2

Ingredients

1 large red onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 red pepper/capsicum, stem and seeds removed and finely chopped
1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon olive oil
⅛ – ½ teaspoon chilli flakes, to taste (optional)
4 large eggs
80g ricotta cheese
20g Pecorino Romano or Parmesan, finely grated
¼ teaspoon fine salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

To serve:

extra ricotta cheese
shredded fresh basil

Instructions

Collect together your equipment (see Recipe Notes below) and ingredients.
Preheat oven to Fan Oven 180°C/200°C/400°F/Gas 6
Peel and finely chop the onion and remove the stem and seeds from the red pepper and finely chop.
Heat the oil in an oven-proof frying pan over a moderately hot temperature and add the onion, pepper and chilli flakes (if using.) Cook, stirring from time to time, until softened and slightly caramelised. Around 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, finely grate the Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese and mix thoroughly with the eggs, ricotta and salt and pepper.
When the onion and pepper are ready, brush the oil up the sides of the pan so the egg doesn't stick. Pour in the egg mixture, making sure the vegetables are evenly distributed.
Put back on the heat and continue to cook for around 5 minutes, or until the edges are beginning to set.
Transfer to a preheated oven for 8 – 10 minutes, or until the centre of the egg mixture is cooked to your liking. Make a little cut in the centre of the frittata to check the eggs – if they are still runny, pop back in the oven for a minute or two more, or until cooked.
If you want to brown the top slightly, pop under a grill for a couple of minutes.
Serve hot, warm or at room temperature. Delicious on its own or with some salad and/or fresh bread on the side.

Recipe Notes

Equipment:

kitchen scales and measuring spoons
chopping board and knife
20cm oven proof frying pan
mixing bowl

To scale up, use the following as a guide:

½ cup prepared additions – ie onion and pepper
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 large egg
20g ricotta
5g parmesan
¹/₁₆ teaspoon salt
¹/₁₆ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Timings for cooking different sized frittata:

NB The time it takes to cook will depend on the size of the pan you use and hence how deep the frittata is and also your oven. Fewer eggs may take less time and more eggs may take longer.