Frittata with Bacon & Fresh Ricotta

Frittatas are famous for being quick and easy to make and for that reason I find myself baking them quite often whenever I am in need of a simple, weeknight dinner. In the past I have experimented with many different combinations of ingredients, one of my favorites being asparagus and gruyere. Your creativity as a cook is really allowed to shine because there are essentially no rules in frittata-making and the possibilities are pretty much endless. Another great thing is that it’s just as good at room temperature as it is straight out of the oven, so it can be made in advance if necessary.

I came up with one frittata in particular that was so delicious I had to post it to share it with you all — my Frittata with Bacon & Fresh Ricotta. The fritatta is puffy and light and full of flavor thanks to smoky bacon, leeks, parmigiano reggiano, and most importantly, plenty of creamy fresh ricotta. The mixture of textures is delightful and it’s filling enough to have on its own (although it’s lovely with slices of warm, buttered toast too). You can, of course, serve the frittata for breakfast or brunch as well.

Frittata with Bacon & Fresh Ricotta

Ingredients

10 slices of smoked streaky bacon
6 eggs
6 egg whites
2 tablespoons whole milk
1/2 cup parmigiano reggiano, grated
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 leek, chopped, dark parts removed
2 shallots, finely chopped
1 clove of garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste
2/3 cup fresh whole-milk ricotta cheese

Directions

First, fry bacon in a large ovenproof skillet until crispy. I used Denhay smoked streaky bacon because, for obvious reasons, I prefer American-style bacon and this is the best brand I have found in the UK.

Remove the bacon from the pan and let drain on paper towels.

If you are using the same skillet for the frittata, remove and discard the bacon fat and clean the pan before the next step. I always prefer to cook the frittata itself in olive oil rather than bacon fat, which can sometimes make the whole thing feel too heavy.

Next, prepare the egg mixture. Whisk together the eggs, egg whites and milk. I always use 1/2 whole eggs and 1/2 egg whites just to make it a little healthier, but feel free to use all whole eggs if you prefer.

Add the parmigiano reggiano to the egg mixture and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Heat olive oil in large ovenproof skillet or cast iron pan. Saute shallots, leeks and garlic over low heat.

Crumble the bacon up a bit. Add 1/2 the crumbled bacon evenly to the bottom of skillet.

Add egg mixture to the pan, pouring evenly, along with the remainder of the bacon.

Add ricotta in clumps.

Cook on the stovetop over a low heat for 5-8 minutes or until the edges begin to set.

Place under a preheated broiler for 6-8 minutes or until the frittata is golden and set.