Wild Garlic Frittata

A frittata is an Italian omelette.

Unlike its soft and creamy French cousin, a frittata is cooked slowly over a very low heat during which time you can be whipping up a delicious salad to accompany it! It is cooked on both sides and cut into wedges like a piece of cake. This basic recipe, is flavoured with grated cheese and a generous sprinkling of herbs. Like the omelette, though, you may add almost anything that takes your fancy. In spring we often add wild garlic to the basic frittata for a delicious variation.

Serves 6-8

10 large eggs, preferably free range organic

1 tsp salt and lots of freshly ground black pepper

85g (3oz) Gruyére cheese, grated

30g (1oz) Parmesan cheese, grated

2 tbsp parsley, chopped

2 tsp thyme leaves

4oz (110g) wild garlic leaves chopped

30g (1oz) butter

Wild garlic flowers for garnish

Non-stick pan — 22.5cm (10inch) frying pan

Whisk the eggs in a bowl, add the salt, freshly ground pepper, fresh herbs, chopped wild garlic (keep back a little for sprinkling on top afterwards) and grated cheese into the eggs. Melt the butter in a non-stick frying pan.

When the butter starts to foam, tip in the eggs. Turn down the heat, as low as it will go. Leave the eggs to cook gently for 12 minutes on a heat diffuser mat, or until the underneath is set. The top should still be slightly runny.

Preheat a grill. Pop the pan under the grill for 1 minute to set but not brown the surface.

Slide a palette knife under the frittata to free it from the pan. Slide onto a warm plate. Sprinkle with a little chopped wild garlic and the wild garlic flowers.

Serve cut in wedges with a good green salad.