You know I have this thing about sugar. Too much is too much, and I have suffered plenty of Easter Sundays wishing that I hadn’t eaten the whole chocolate rabbit and all of his little chicken friends, but I have always loved sugar. My husband thinks I am leading my sweet pearly toothed baby down the road of destruction by getting as excited as I do about jelly bellys or those cookies that are peanut butter all around the edges and a big chocolate kiss in the middle. I love those. I have a hard time holding back my feelings about them, even with Ferd in the midst.
I had a childhood, but nothing that would be allowed on the family channel. Before I knew right from wrong, I thought my growing up was commendable. Not one holiday, not a birthday went by without the corresponding sweetness. We had cakes filled with dates and walnuts and covered with cream cheese frosting. We had Christmas cookies of every kind made from the beginning. We had homemade milkshakes and candy popcorn and sugared waffles. By the time I was seven, I was a walking encyclopedia of desserts and a solid candidate for a lifetime of therapy. I’m hoping that Ferdinand has it a little easier, but just in case, for the bad days, even after he has worked it out with his much more appropriate coping skills, I want him to feel that 4th of July sparkler of happiness from a box of red hots.
Whatever happens, you can’t have candy for dinner. Make a frittata. Use a little of last nights noodles, especially if they have a some red sauce or sausage and tiny bits of potato clinging to them. Of course you could go the whole Spanish potato route, and fill the frittata with boiled and thinly sliced potatoes and some sauteed onions. Whatever which way you do, beat together, just until they are uniform, two organic eggs (a well fed and happy chicken makes a much better egg) per person, with a pinch of salt. Grate a little parmesan cheese, and get creative. Maybe along with the noodles you want to throw in some chopped green olives or diced roasted red peppers, even a little ricotta cheese. A frittata is a good way to use bits and pieces from the fridge, but it’s not a kitchen sink. You can’t just throw everything in there, or it will have no direction. Stick with a minimum of three items. Get the pan hot, drizzle it with your best olive oil, and over medium heat, add the noodles and whatever else you have going on, leaving the eggs for last. Once the eggs have been poured in the pan, sprinkle in some parmesan, and begin lifting the edges as they cook, until the frittata is pretty much set on the bottom.
Get your brave face on and slide the whole thing onto a big plate. If you make it this far, you want to flip the frittata back into the pan, uncooked side down, and then hold the pan over the flame for about a minute longer, sliding it back onto the plate again, once it has cooked. Don’t overcook. The egg will continue to set for a minute after it comes off the heat. If this is all way too much for you, just preheat the broiler to 400 degrees before you start, and put the whole (ovenproof) skillet under the broiler, until it’s set.
Serve with a salad of thinly sliced prosciutto, zucchini ribbons, pignoli and arugula. If you are really hungry, serve some fresh mozzarella at room temperature with a crusty bread as well.