As regular readers will attest, I love my weekend brunches and this delicious Canadian inspired frittata made this past weekend’s brunch very special indeed. I sliced these beautiful potatoes and blind baked them into an oven safe frying pan to form a potato “crust” for the frittata which included some lightly fried Canadian Bacon and aged white cheddar cheese which gets diced small instead of grating to provide tasty cheese pockets throughout the dish. It was absolutely delicious with some spicy quick tomato compote served on top.
Slice about ¼ inch thick:
1 1/2 to 2 pounds of red or yellow potatoes
Par boil the slices in salted water for 4-5 minutes and allow them to cool on a parchment lined cookie sheet.
Brush the inside of a non stick, oven safe, frying pan with
3 tbsp melted butter
in about 1/8 inch slices. Overlap the potato slices to completely cover the bottom and sides of the buttered frying pan. This will form the potato crust of the frittata which must be blind baked before adding the filling.To blind bake the potato crust, simply place a piece of parchment paper or aluminum foil over the potatoes and cover the bottom of the frying pan with baking weights. (Dry beans, peas, rice or barley work just as well as anything else.) Bake at 350 degrees F for about 20- 25 minutes. Remove baking weights and parchment (or foil). Mix together and sprinkle the following ingredients over the bottom of the potato crust:
6 ounces lightly fried Canadian bacon, chopped in 1/2 inch squares
6 ounces white cheddar cheese diced small, 1/2 inch or less
¼ cup chopped chives
2 cloves finely minced garlic
Quickly whisk together:
8 large eggs
1/3 cup whipping cream
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
Pour the egg mixture into the potato crust. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 20 to 25 minutes or until the eggs have set at the center. Invert the frittata onto a serving platter. Serve immediately topped with Spicy Quick Tomato Compote.
Spicy Quick Tomato Compote
4 cloves minced garlic
6 tbsp olive oil
8 large ripe tomatoes diced
1 tbsp brown sugar
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp crushed chili sauce or ¼ tsp chili flakes
salt and pepper to season
Sauté the garlic in the oil over medium heat for just a minute before adding the tomatoes, brown sugar, chili sauce, salt, pepper. Continue to cook until the tomatoes soften and the compote reduces to a jam-like consistency. Add the balsamic vinegar in the final minute or two of cooking before serving.