Instead of folding the omelet around the filling as the French do, Italian frittatas mix the eggs and filling together from the start and then bake them together in one dish. It’s a little like an open-faced omelet that can feed the whole family! Frittatas are usually cooked on top of the stove, and either flipped over in the skillet or finished in the oven. To make life easier, I’ve taken some liberties and eliminated the stovetop flipping step. With this recipe, all the ingredients go into a baking dish and then straight into the oven. The preparation itself is quick – just quickly cook the filling ingredients and mix them into the eggs – while the time in the oven is a bit longer. Slow and gentle oven-cooking helps bring out the best texture in the frittata. One other advantage of a baked frittata is that it can be made ahead, and individual squares can be reheated in the microwave for an easy grab-and-go breakfast. With eight servings from the pan, you have breakfast for the whole week! This also makes a stellar make-ahead brunch recipe. Just add a salad, some crusty bread, and a bowl of fruit and you are ready to relax when guests arrive. Add the the scallions to the pan and cook for about 1 minute, or until softened. Stir in the spinach and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Cook, stirring often, until the spinach wilts. Remove the pan from the heat and cool for a few minutes. Stir in the crumbled feta cheese. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the eggs are set. You can check with a paring knife inserted in the middle; the eggs should be set and no longer be runny.
