Frittata With Broccoli Rabe and Sheep Cheese

Want to take a culinary journey through California’s wine country — from the comfort of your kitchen? Wine Country Table: With Recipes that Celebrate California’s Sustainable Harvest by award-winning author Janet Fletcher is your next must-have book.

With 50 recipes for any time of day, year round (and wine pairings for each), Wine Country Table showcases the vintners and farmers throughout the state who grow more than 100 winegrape varieties and 400 specialty crops, offering photos of 23 stunning farms and wineries that utilize sustainable practices throughout the state. You’ll also gain a clear understanding of California’s key wine regions and winegrape varieties, along with its most important fruit and vegetable crops, with tips on how to select and use them.

Happily, we’ve got a great recipe from the book to share — a light, savory frittata with sheep cheese, which is probably a little more special than your everyday cheese, but still readily available. This warm frittata makes a nourishing lunch or rustic first course; accompany with a tuft of lightly dressed salad greens, if you like. Leftover frittata can be sliced and tucked inside a length of baguette with some soft lettuce and a swipe of mayonnaise. Give it a try and let us know how it goes!

Frittata With Broccoli Rabe and Sheep Cheese

Wine suggestion: California Rosé or California Sauvignon Blanc

Serves 3 for lunch or 4 as a first course

INGREDIENTS

• 3⁄4 pound (375 g) broccoli rabe, tough stems trimmed
• 6 large eggs
• 1⁄2 cup (35 g) grated aged sheep’s milk cheese, such as Bellwether Farms Pepato or pecorino romano
• 1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the broccoli rabe and boil until just tender, about 3 minutes. Drain in a sieve and cool quickly under cold running water. Drain and squeeze well to remove excess moisture. Chop coarsely. Measure out 1 1∕2 cups (250 g) chopped broccoli and reserve the remainder for another use.
3. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until blended, then whisk in the cheese, salt, and several grinds of black pepper. Stir in the broccoli rabe. Heat a 10-inch (25 cm) nonstick frying pan over medium heat, then add the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the egg mixture and use a rubber spatula to spread into an even layer. Reduce the heat to medium-low.
4. Cook without stirring until the frittata is about two-thirds set, 6 to 7 minutes. Transfer to the oven and bake just until the frittata feels firm on top and has puffed slightly, 9 to 10 minutes. Immediately slide the frittata onto a cutting board or wooden serving board. The frittata should slip out easily, but if not, use a rubber spatula to loosen it. Let cool for 15 minutes, then slice into wedges and serve.

TRIMMING TIP: The thick stems of broccoli rabe are often more tender than the thin stems. If a stem feels tough or woody, remove it. Otherwise, just trim any dry ends.

Print Recipe

5 from 7 votes

Frittata With Broccoli Rabe and Sheep Cheese

This warm frittata from "Wine Country Table" makes a nourishing lunch or rustic first course; accompany with a tuft of lightly dressed salad greens, if you like.

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: vegetarian

Servings: 3 people

Ingredients

• 3/4 lb broccoli rabe tough stems trimmed
• 6 large eggs
• 1/2 cup grated aged ship's milk cheese such as Bellwether Farms Pepato or pecorino romano
• 1 tsp kosher or sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the broccoli rabe and boil until just tender, about 3 minutes. Drain in a sieve and cool quickly under cold running water. Drain and squeeze well to remove excess moisture. Chop coarsely. Measure out 1 1∕2 cups (250 g) chopped broccoli and reserve the remainder for another use.
• In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until blended, then whisk in the cheese, salt, and several grinds of black pepper. Stir in the broccoli rabe. Heat a 10-inch (25 cm) nonstick frying pan over medium heat, then add the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the egg mixture and use a rubber spatula to spread into an even layer. Reduce the heat to medium-low.
• Cook without stirring until the frittata is about two-thirds set, 6 to 7 minutes. Transfer to the oven and bake just until the frittata feels firm on top and has puffed slightly, 9 to 10 minutes. Immediately slide the frittata onto a cutting board or wooden serving board. The frittata should slip out easily, but if not, use a rubber spatula to loosen it. Let cool for 15 minutes, then slice into wedges and serve.
• TRIMMING TIP: The thick stems of broccoli rabe are often more tender than the thin stems. If a stem feels tough or woody, remove it. Otherwise, just trim any dry ends.

What are your favorite food and wine pairings? I still remember the first time I did a tasting at a winery and was handed a square of good dark chocolate to have with a big, bold Cab. Transformational! –Kristen