Baby Eggplant, Olive, and Herb-Cheese Frittata

From the kitchen of Carly

Tender roasted baby eggplants anchor this herby frittata, studded with briny olives and creamy Boursin cheese. The result is savory, elegant enough for dinner yet simple enough for breakfast. Rich without being heavy.

Baby Eggplant, Olive, and Herb-Cheese Frittata

Baby eggplant halves go tender and briny-sweet under cover, then catch the eggs poured over top in a skillet frittata studded with green olives and Boursin. The cheese does the heavy lifting on flavor, so you're free to keep the rest straightforward. One pan, ten minutes of hands-on work, feeds four.

Prep
n/a
Cook
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Total
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Servings
4
Difficulty
medium

Ingredients

4 servings

  • 2 tbspolive oil
  • 5baby purple eggplants, stemmed, split lengthwise
  • 4 largeeggs
  • 3 tbspcoarsely chopped pitted brine-packed green olives
  • 2 tbspchopped fresh basil
  • 1/4 tspsalt
  • 15.2-ounce package Boursin cheese with herbs and garlic
  • 1divided

Instructions

  1. Pour the olive oil into a 10-inch nonstick skillet and set it over medium heat. Lay the eggplant halves cut side down, spacing them out evenly across the pan. Cover and let them cook until tender, about 10 minutes.

  2. While the eggplant finishes, whisk together the eggs, olives, basil, and salt in a bowl, then season with pepper. Crumble in half the Boursin and stir until roughly blended. Pour the egg mixture over the eggplants, nudging them into an even arrangement. Cook uncovered over medium heat, loosening the sides occasionally with a spatula, until the edges set and the bottom begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Scatter the remaining cheese over the top, cover the pan, and cook until the frittata is fully set, about 7 minutes more.

Tips from the kitchen

  • Split the eggplants lengthwise and let them cook cut-side down in oil without moving them, this way the flesh caramelizes and won't turn mushy. Don't skip the cover for the first 10 minutes, steam is your friend here.
  • Crumble half the Boursin into the egg mixture before pouring, rather than sprinkling it on top, so the flavor distributes evenly and the cheese doesn't clump up.
  • Watch for the bottom to just start browning before you add the remaining cheese and cover again, this takes about 5 minutes. You want a frittata, not a scramble.
  • A nonstick skillet is non-negotiable here because you're not flipping this thing, you're relying on gentle cover-cooked heat to set the top.

Variations

  • Swap baby eggplants for 1 medium eggplant cut into 1/2-inch coins, just arrange them overlapping in the pan instead of halves.
  • Use Boursin's dill and salmon variety instead of herbs and garlic, and top with capers and lemon zest for a brighter angle.
  • Skip the olives and add sun-dried tomatoes and fresh oregano, keep the Boursin and adjust salt down since the tomatoes bring their own tang.
  • Layer in thinly sliced zucchini or summer squash alongside the eggplant for a vegetable-heavy version that still cooks in the same time.

Make ahead and storage

Cover and refrigerate up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a low oven or eat cold, the frittata stays tender. Not great for freezing as the eggplant texture suffers.