Little Zucchini & Basil Frittatas

Another easy dish to prepare when entertaining this festive season. The following recipe is adapted from ABC Delicious magazine. Zucchini contains large amounts of folate (one of the B vitamins) and potassium and the rind contains the nutrient beta-carotene. This will be my last posting for 2007 as I will be on vacation for the Christmas holidays. Merry Christmas to everyone and a special word of thanks to all the people who visit my site on a regular basis. Stay tuned for more food adventures from The Culinary Chase in 2008!

Makes 12
2 tablespoons dry breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 large garlic cloves, halved
500g zucchini sliced into 4mm thick rounds
8 eggs
1/4 cup firmly packed shredded basil
60g (3/4 cup) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
100g fontina cheese, cut into small chunks
75g (1/2 cup) self raising flour

Preheat the oven to 175c and butter a 12 hole non stick muffin pan. Dust each hole with crumbs, then tap out the excess. Place olive oil and garlic in a large frying pan. Gently heat the oil over medium low for 1-2 minutes until the garlic starts to sizzle. Increase the heat to medium and cook the zucchini, in 2 batches, for about 5 minutes or until cooked and speckled with gold. Transfer the zucchini to a bowl and set aside, discarding the garlic.

In a large bowl, lightly whisk the eggs with the basil, sea salt and freshly ground pepper until just combined. Stir in the Parmesan and fontina then whisk in the flour until combined. Add the fried zucchini, reserving 12 rounds to decorate, then stir everything together using a wooden spoon. Divide mixture evenly among muffin holes and bake 20 minutes or until the frittatas feel firm when gently pressed. Remove from the oven and leave the frittatas to settle in the pan for a few minutes then gently ease them out.

The Culinary Chase’s Note: You can substitute fontina cheese for Taleggio or feta. The next time I make these, I’m going to coarsely chop the zucchini and keep 12 rounds for decorating. The flavors increase the next day, that is, if you have any leftover! These little frittatas are best eaten warm or at room temperature.