Recipes for Health: Frittata With Turnips and Olives — Recipes for Health

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1 pound firm medium-size or small turnips

Salt

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, chopped

6 eggs

1 tablespoon milk

Freshly ground pepper

1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

1 ounce imported black olives, pitted and chopped, about 1/3 cup (optional)

1 or 2 garlic cloves, minced or puréed (optional)

1. Peel the turnips and grate on the large holes of a box grater or with a food processor. Salt generously and leave to drain in a colander for 30 minutes. Take up handfuls and squeeze tightly to rid the turnips of excess water.

2. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium-low heat in a wide saucepan or skillet and add the turnips and the thyme. When the turnips are sizzling, cover and cook gently, stirring often, for about 15 minutes, until they are tender. If they begin to stick to the pan or brown, add a tablespoon of water. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.

3. Beat the eggs and milk in a bowl and season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in the parsley, chopped olives and garlic. Add the turnips and mix together.

4. Heat the remaining olive oil over medium-high heat in a heavy 10-inch skillet, preferably nonstick. Hold your hand above it; it should feel hot. Drop a bit of egg into the pan, and if it sizzles and cooks at once, the pan is ready. Pour in the egg mixture. Swirl the pan to distribute the eggs and filling evenly over the surface. Shake the pan gently, tilting it slightly with one hand while lifting up the edges of the frittata with a spatula in your other hand, to let the eggs run underneath during the first few minutes of cooking. Once a few layers of egg have cooked during the first couple of minutes of cooking, turn the heat down to very low, cover (use a pizza pan if you don’t have a lid that will fit your skillet) and cook 10 minutes, shaking the pan gently every once in a while. From time to time, remove the lid and loosen the bottom of the frittata with a spatula, tilting the pan, so that the bottom doesn’t burn.

5. Meanwhile, heat the broiler. Uncover the pan and place under the broiler, not too close to the heat, for 1 to 3 minutes, watching very carefully to make sure the top doesn’t burn (at most, it should brown very slightly and puff under the broiler). Remove from the heat, shake the pan to make sure the frittata isn’t sticking and allow it to cool for at least 5 minutes (the frittata is traditionally eaten warm or at room temperature). Loosen the edges with a spatula. Carefully slide from the pan onto a large round platter. Cut into wedges or into smaller bite-size diamonds. Serve warm, at room temperature or cold.

Yield: 6 servings.

Advance preparation: In Mediterranean countries, flat omelets are served at room temperature, which makes them perfect do-ahead dishes. They’ll keep in the refrigerator for a few days, and they make terrific lunchbox fare. They do not reheat well.

Nutritional information per serving: 132 calories; 2 grams saturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 5 grams monounsaturated fat; 186 milligrams cholesterol; 5 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 113 milligrams sodium (does not include salt to taste); 7 grams protein

Martha Rose Shulman is the author of “The Very Best of Recipes for Health.”

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