Arugula and Fontina Frittata

From the kitchen of Carly

Silky eggs cradle wilted arugula and melting Fontina in a cast-iron skillet. Garlic infuses the oil with just enough depth while the peppery greens stay bright. One pan, ten minutes, dinner solved.

Arugula and Fontina Frittata

Cast iron, high heat, and the moment arugula hits oil: you've got a frittata that tastes expensive but moves fast. Fontina melts into pockets of cheese throughout, and the broiler finish gives you creamy insides with edges just set enough to slice cleanly. This is weeknight dinner posing as brunch.

Prep
n/a
Cook
n/a
Total
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Servings
4
Difficulty
medium

Ingredients

4 servings

  • 1garlic clove, halved
  • 1 1/2 tbspextra-virgin olive oil
  • 5 ozbaby arugula
  • 6 largeeggs
  • 1/2 tspsalt
  • 1/4 tspblack pepper
  • 1/4 lbFontina
  • 1rind discarded and cheese cut into 1/2-inch cubes

Instructions

  1. Position your oven rack 4 to 5 inches from the broiler element and turn the broiler on.

  2. Pour the oil into a 10-inch well-seasoned cast-iron or other ovenproof skillet set over moderate heat. Add the garlic halves and stir occasionally until golden, about 2 minutes, then fish them out and discard. Tumble in the arugula and stir frequently until fully wilted, 1 to 2 minutes.

  3. Whisk the eggs with the salt and pepper until smooth, then pour the mixture straight over the arugula. Let everything cook undisturbed over moderate heat until the eggs are almost set, 5 to 6 minutes. Scatter the Fontina cubes evenly across the surface and slide the skillet under the broiler until the eggs are just set and the cheese has melted into soft pools, 1 to 2 minutes.

Tips from the kitchen

  • Don't skip the garlic-infused oil step, even though you toss the clove. Those two minutes build flavor depth that carries the whole dish.
  • Keep the heat at moderate when pouring eggs in. Too hot and the bottom races to golden before the top sets, leaving you with scrambled arugula.
  • Your skillet matters here. Cast iron holds heat evenly and gives you a gentle cook that broiler can finish without the bottom burning.

Variations

  • Swap arugula for spinach or torn escarole if that's what you have, though you'll lose the peppery bite that makes this sing.
  • Use sharp Cheddar or aged Gruyere in place of Fontina for a nuttier angle, and the frittata becomes more herbaceous.
  • Add crispy pancetta or guanciale before the eggs if you want a richer take, about 3 ounces crumbled.

Make ahead and storage

Leftovers keep in the fridge for 3 days and reheat well in a 350-degree oven for about 10 minutes, or eat cold straight from the container. Not recommended for freezing, as the egg texture turns slightly rubbery.