Recipe: Erbolata con Cavolo Nero

Erbolata con Cavolo Nero

Greens Baked with Eggs

This recipe is adapted from the cookbook "Tuscany: Simple Meals and Fabulous Feast from Italy" by Katie and Giancarlo Caldesi.

It takes a good deal of greens and it's like a frittata made with greens instead of pasta.  We love it.

Anonimo Toscano, an anonymous Tuscan chef wrote down a collection of recipes in the 1300s. An erbolato is a sort of medieval frittata made from seasonal herbs. His recipe works just as well for a brunch or lunch today.  

"From all flowers and other herbs aforementioned, whatever kind you like, you can make a herbed dish (erbolato) with cheese and eggs and spices, and it should be cooked in the oven or between baking pans." 
                                                            ----Anonimo Toscano

SERVES 8 PEOPLE

10 eggs

175 g (6 oz) leaves, in any combination, whatever you have on hand: Tuscan kale, parsley, arugula, basil, celery leaves, and spinach, roughly chopped.  

100 g (3 ½ oz) grated Parmesan 

1 level teaspoon fine salt freshly ground black pepper, to taste

½ teaspoon grated nutmeg

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Preheat the oven to 170°C (340°F/Gas 3) and line a flan dish (approximately 22 cm/9in. in diameter and 2.5 cm/1 in. deep) with baking parchment. The baking parchment is important!

Whisk the eggs in a bowl until blended, then stir in the rest of the ingredients, except the oil. 

Pour the oil onto the parchment and whip or brush it to coat, then pour in the frittata mixture. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve hot or at room temperature, on its own or with a simple cucumber and tomato salad. When cool it will keep in the fridge for 2 days. Simply reheat a slice or two in the microwave when you feel hungry!