Sunday Brunch: Sausage & Spinach Frittata

I love making frittatas--almost as much as I love eating them.  This was my first non-vegetarian frittata.  I usually make them with potatoes, but I've been known to just use whatever I have in the fridge.  This past Summer I made one with an eggplant that we grew in our garden and some local okra from the farmer's market!  For this one, we had a lot of local ingredients:  ground pork sausage from Full Moon Farm, bread from Luna Bakery, local eggs, and parsley from our very own garden.  

If you've ever been hesitant to try to make a frittata because it seems complicated, I hope this post/recipe changes your mind.  They can seem time consuming (especially when you wake up hungry like we do!), but they really are pretty easy to make.

Sausage & Spinach Frittata with Red Onions and Parsley

5 eggs

1/4 lb. pork sausage (you can easily substitute Morning Star sausage crumbles)

half of a large red onion

2 big handfuls of fresh spinach

3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1/4 cup ricotta cheese, cottage cheese, cream, or milk 

1/4 lb. cheddar cheese (or just use what you have)

salt & pepper

1 large garlic glove

1 extra large slice of country bread (you can use whatever bread you have.  if using sliced bread, use two pieces)

olive oil

Start by dicing the onions and chopping the garlic and parsley; and then cut the bread into cubes.  Next, brown the sausage.  

Remove the cooked sausage from the pan and place on a paper towel to remove excess fat.  Add the red onions to the remaining pork fat in the pan.  Cook until they start to become transparent and then add the spinach and cook for a few minutes until wilted.  Remove from heat.  

In another pan that can be put into the oven (I use a cast-iron skillet), heat about 2 tablespoons olive oil and then add the garlic and bread cubes.  Cook these over medium heat until crispy on all sides, but not too brown.

Preheat the over to 350 degrees.

Meanwhile, whisk the eggs together with 1/4 cup of ricotta cheese (you can use cottage cheese, sour cream, milk, etc.), salt, and pepper.  

In a mixing bowl, combine the sausage, veggies, chopped parsley, and shredded cheese.  When thoroughly mixed, add in the eggs.  

In the same pan you used for the bread, add about a tablespoon of olive oil to coat the bottom--any garlic or bread remnants in the pan are completely welcome.  Heat on medium heat until oil is good and hot.  While it's heating, stir the bread cubes into the egg/veggie/sausage mixture.  Then pour the mixture into the hot pan and cook for 5 to 6 minutes until a thin crust forms around the sides.

 

Now, put it in the oven for 10-15 minutes depending on the depth of your pan.  Check it after 10 minutes.  Just stick a toothpick in the middle--it's done when the toothpick comes out clean.

After letting it cool for a few minutes, invert it onto a cutting board and slice into wedges to serve.  We like to save the leftovers and serve them later in the day with a cup of soup or a small salad.

Free-Style Baby Turnip, Potato & Pork Sausage Casserole

I like the name of this one.  Basically, we found some local baby turnips at the co-op and bought them even though we had no plans for them and Tore remembered hating them as a child.  They sat in the fridge for a few days before we remembered we had them; and I had the job of planning a supper around them.  

We had most of the ingredients we used on hand.  I took some inspiration from a few other recipes, but this one is a Local Okra free-stylin' recipe that I can safely say had not been done before.  Believe it or not, it was a huge success.  Try it, and see for yourselves!  All ingredients are organic and the sausage is from Full Moon Farm here in Athens.

Recipe

(this one is pretty loose, guys--that's the point!)

a dozen or so baby turnips

3 or 4 yukon gold potatoes

about half a pint of cherry tomatoes

2 small shallots or 1 large

6 garlic cloves

half a pound of ground pork sausage 

half a cup of bread crumbs

1 1/2 cups 'no-chicken' broth

about 3 tablespoons fancy whole grain mustard (we like Inglehoffer brand)

cheese of your choice (we had some Stilton left over that we used, so blue cheese would be great)

So, this was an experiment.  I would encourage anyone who enjoys cooking as much as we do to this as often as possible.  Sure, you will have miserable failures here and there, but when you really get it right, it can be so rewarding.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Start by dicing and boiling your potatoes and turnips in water.  You won't have to boil the turnips for as long as the potatoes, so just add those in after the potatoes have been going for a few minutes.  You just want to cook until fork-tender.  Meanwhile, chop the garlic and slice the shallots very thin.  

Add these, along with the broth, to a casserole dish.  

Take the sausage and add the bread crumbs and knead together.  Form into 1 1/2 inch balls.  Drain the root veggies and carefully add them to the casserole dish.  Now add the mustard and stir to combine as much as possible.  Place the meatballs evenly and then bake until the sausage balls are almost cooked through.  

The last step is to add the tomatoes and cheese.  Add in the tomatoes and stir around a bit to distribute.  Then top with cheese--as much or as little as you want.  Bake until cheese is melted.  Bon appetit!  

Shout-out to Levi and Full Moon Farm

This morning for breakfast, we had some local pork sausage from Full Moon Farm, thanks to our good friend Levi. It was the first sausage we've had in years and it was well worth the wait.

Thanks!!!

Please see our links for info on Full Moon Cooperative Farm.

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Farm Ethic
We farm with intention and sensibility.
We farm to improve ecology through wise economy.
We farm to improve our land and preserve its agricultural value for future generations.
We farm with respect for the safety of our workers, our customers, and ourselves.
We farm to protect the environment we all depend on.
We farm because we love to farm.