potato, leek and salmon frittata

After the excesses of this past Christmas weekend (here and here and here), none of us wanted anything very heavy for dinner. We weren’t quite ready for the new year’s diet, but still. A nice piece of broiled fish, and maybe some broccoli seemed in order.

But for some reason the fish store on Via dei Serpenti was closed. Of course. I should have known. It was Wednesday afternoon after all. Can you believe after all these years in Rome, I still can’t figure out what stores close when? Who makes these rules?

Anyway, Domenico and I were on our way to the butcher, but we just couldn’t get excited about anything even as heavy as chicken. So we kept going, and wandered up Via Panisperna, over to Mia Market, the small organic grocer in our neighborhood, Monti.

Besides everything being very healthy and organic and all that, it is all displayed so prettily it was no problem deciding what to have for dinner. I picked my own perfect little free range eggs out of a basket, a few leeks and potatoes, and frittata was on our menu tonight. And since since we were still feeling sort of festive in this ‘tween holiday week, I picked up a pack of smoked salmon as well.






Potato Leek and Salmon Frittata
serves 4

6 Eggs
1 large potato (about a cup, chopped)
2 -3 leeks (about 2 cups, sliced finely)
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
fresh tarragon (or parsley or chives, or all three)
salt and pepper
100 gr/3 oz of smoked salmon

Cut potato into small, dice-size cubes.
Put 1 tablespoon of oil in a 12 inch non-stick frying pan.
Heat and add potatoes, some salt and pepper, and let cook for about 5 minutes.
Add chopped leeks and butter and continue cooking until leeks have wilted and reduced and potatoes are tender.
In the meantime break eggs into mixing bowl and beat gently. Add contents of pan, and stir. Add fresh herbs and salmon, which you have cut into smallish pieces
In the same frying pan place the rest of the olive oil, heat and add egg mixture.
Cover the pan and cook at very low heat until the eggs have set.