Caramelized Sweet Potato, Red Pepper and Feta Frittata

For months, I’ve been toying with the idea of making a frittata. All I’ve been waiting for is the return of bell peppers and sweet potatoes. I make an effort to eat seasonally, so it hurts me to have to ignore red bell peppers (one of my favorite foods!) when they are brought in from Chile or Holland during the off-seasons.

I’ll admit that eating seasonally is the way to go when I’m not too busy complaining about self-imposed produce deprivation—I’m usually so busy getting my fill of cranberries in the winter that I don’t have time to miss blueberries, and I’m always rushing to meet my butternut quota when spring rolls around. Oh, how I love those blood oranges in February that electrify dreary winter days. Because of their scarcity, I value them more than ever.

It’s no secret that I’ve been attempting to satisfy my sweet potato and pepper cravings lately (pickles, grilled cheese, breakfast burritos, soup…), so I’m continuing the trend with this insanely amazing frittata. This frittata probably won’t win any beauty pageants, but it more than makes up for it in deliciousness.

It’s stuffed to the gills with caramelized vegetables, some black beans for extra protein, a ton of creamy, salty feta, and a ton of chopped cilantro (although there’s actually less cilantro in there than the photos suggest because it floated to the top while I carried it from the room with good light and the oven). Very excellent! You could absolutely prepare this frittata for dinner tonight or save it for your upcoming brunch occasion. In either case, I hope you arrive before the peppers depart once more. Sob.

Also read: Butternut Squash Frittata with Fried Sage

INGREDIENTS

• Frittata
• 8 eggs
• 1/2 cup milk
• two tablespoons of freshly chopped cilantro leaves (optional)
• 2 minced or pressed garlic cloves
• divided 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• black pepper freshly ground
• 1 medium sweet potato (3/4 pound or thereabouts), peeled, and cut into cubes measuring 14 inch
• 1 medium red bell pepper, ribbed, seeded, and cut into pieces measuring 14 inch
• Olive oil, 1 tbsp
• 1 teaspoon of cumin, ground
• smoked paprika, half a teaspoon
• 2/3 cup rinsed and drained cooked black beans
• 13 to 12 cup of feta crumbles (2 to 3 ounces)
• Garnishes
• A diced avocado
• fresh cilantro choppe
• green salsa in jars
• spicy food
• Jalapeos with pickles are optional.

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Set the oven’s temperature to 425 degrees. Mix the eggs, milk, cilantro, garlic, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and several grinds of freshly ground black pepper in a big bowl.
2. Warm the olive oil over medium heat in a 10-inch oven-safe sauté pan or seasoned cast iron skillet. Sprinkle cumin, smoked paprika, and 1/2 teaspoon salt over the chopped red pepper and sweet potatoes, tossing to combine. When the pan starts to sizzle, cover it and slightly lower the heat to prevent scorching the food within. Stirring regularly, boil the sweet potato for about 8 minutes or until it is cooked through and soft.
3. Return the heat to medium, remove the lid from the pan, and cook for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the edges of the sweet potatoes are caramelized (add another little splash of olive oil if the potatoes start sticking to the pan).
4. Lower the temperature. In the bottom of the skillet, put the sweet potatoes and peppers evenly. Evenly distribute black beans over the vegetables. Pour the egg mixture into the pan after one final whisking. Use your fingers or a fork to crumble the feta over the frittata. Put the
5. Before cutting the frittata, set it aside for a while. Place individual slices on plates, then garnish with chopped cilantro, salsa verde, and diced avocado. Serve alongside spicy sauce and pickled jalapenos.