Sunday, January 15, 2012

Mini Pumpkin and Spinach Frittata



I made these lovely little mini pumpkin and spinach frittatas for a fund raising even. They are quick, and easy to make, yet are fabulously delicious. They are great for finger food at parties, for light lunches served with a side salad, and ideal for weekend breakfasts. They also freeze beautifully.

Ingredients:

600g butternut pumpkin, peeled and diced into 2 cm pieces
2 Tbs olive oil
1 cup baby spinach leaves, stems removed
1 cup (250g) ricotta cheese
1/2 cup (60g) grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup (60g) grated cheddar cheese
6 eggs
1 tsp paprika
salt and freshly ground pepper
1 punet cherry tomatoes
1 bunch Italian (broad-leaf) parsley

Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan forced). 

Lightly grease a medium sized 12 muffin tray with non stick oil spray.

Place pumpkin on a baking tray. Drizzle with the oil and toss well. 
Bake for 15-20 minutes, until tender. 

Sprinkle the spinach with a small amount of water. Microwave or cook spinach until just wilted. 

Let the pumpkin and spinach cool.

In a large bowl, whisk together eggs and cheeses, paprika and seasoning until combined. 
Mix in the pumpkin and spinach. Spoon the mixture into the prepared muffin tin making sure the pumpkin is evenly divided between muffin holes. 

Pierce each cherry tomato with a sharp knife and place one on each frittata.
Bake for 25-30 minutes until the muffins are set and browned on top and are puffed up.

To garnish, gently wedge a leaf of parsley between the tomato and the frittata.
They can be served hot, while still puffed up similar to a souffle. 
As they cool, they will deflate somewhat but will still be delicious.