Frittata with roasted strawberries and homemade French Neufchâtel cheese
Ingredients:
- 10 oz. strawberries
- 1/2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar of good quality
- olive oil
- 6 pastured eggs
- sea salt
- 1.5 oz. [homemade] French Neufchâtel cheese (a bloomy-rind cheese), or similar cheese, or Havarti (the latter is an alternative I have tested successfully)
Wash strawberries and carve out stem. Place in a bowl, add balsamic vinegar and toss gently. Heat the oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat that is wider and longer than the sheet, so no juice can escape from any side. Place strawberries on the sheet on a single layer. Put the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Let strawberries cool slightly while you prepare the eggs. Cut them in half lengthwise (quarter the very large ones, if any).
Oil a 10-inch skillet and warm up. Break the eggs in a bowl and whisk them lightly until just blended. Add a couple of pinches of salt and whisk briefly. Add the juice released by the strawberries during roasting: tilt the baking sheet and let the juice flow into the bowl, making sure the strawberries don't go the same way. Whisk lightly to incorporate.
Pour the eggs slowly into the skillet. Gently slide the strawberries in the pan and arrange them so they are evenly distributed. Cook over low heat until the eggs are set. In the meantime, turn on the broiler. (If your oven allows it, choose the "low" setting.)
Cut the cheese into thin slices and then each slice into pieces (1/2 inch or so). When the edge of the frittata is set, evenly distribute the cheese on the surface. Also, after the edge is set, run a spatula under it and shake the frittata gently to ensure the bottom does not stick to the pan.
When the eggs are set, place the skillet in the oven for a couple of minutes, leaving the door ajar. Take the skillet out of the oven (don't forget that the handle is hot) and let the frittata rest for of a few minutes, then slide it onto a serving plate. Cut into wedges and serve. As as is usual with frittata, you can store leftovers in the fridge and enjoy them the following day, at room temperature.
