The perfect breakfast is served! This Leek, Caramelized Shallot, and Pancetta Frittata is a show stopping addition to your morning spread that will truly make your house smell like heaven!
Jump to RecipeOne of my favorite Christmas traditions is eating a MASSIVE brunch with my family on Christmas morning. Despite the huge Christmas Eve feast and early morning selection of pastries, my family always seems to work up a huge appetite while opening up presents…I know, such strenuous labor;) Although my family is relatively small, we always like to incorporate the main brunch food groups into our feast. I’m talking eggs, meat, carbs, and fruit (to cancel everything else out, right?!). When my mom and I were planning our spread this year, we decided on most recipes pretty quickly: some tried and true (like a Smoked Salmon Bar) and some newer (like a French Toast Casserole).
Still, we were stuck when it came to eggs. So many of our favorite recipes out there are Stratas, but between the rolls, French toast, pastries, and bagels, I think we were done with bread. Then there were some with pie dough or that were completely cooked stovetop, both of which are just too much of a hassle for a busy Christmas morning. So, I decided to work up this Leek, Caramelized Shallot, and Pancetta Frittata recipe for the big brunch!
The great thing about this recipe is that it can be prepared ahead of time. I simply followed the first 3 steps, covered it in foil, stuck it in the fridge overnight, then baked it off the next morning. I guess you could even call this an Overnight Leek, Caramelized Shallot, and Pancetta Frittata, or overnight egg bake, because that’s really what it is.
Another plus? It’s a whole lot healthier than most recipes you will find. I’ve had frittatas with tons of heavy cream and butter, but it’s really not necessary. In my opinion, this tastes even better because it’s much fluffier! To make it even healthier you could leave out the cheese, but Parmesan just holds a special place in my heart so I had to include it… lol. However you make it, the combination of herbs, fluffy eggs, and veg calls for a crowd-pleasing dish to serve for all of your friends and family!
Leek, Caramelized Shallot, and Pancetta Frittata
Course: BreakfastDifficulty: easy10
slices10
minutes40
minutes50
minutesThe perfect breakfast is served! This Leek, Caramelized Shallot, and Pancetta Frittata is a show stopping addition to your morning spread!
Ingredients
1 cup pancetta, diced*
3 shallots, diced*
1 full leek, thinly sliced and rinsed
1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves, or 1 tsp dried thyme
1 tbsp fresh rosemary, or 1 tsp dried rosemary
1/2 tsp ground mustard
Pinch of red pepper flakes, to taste
Salt and pepper, to taste
8 eggs, beaten well*
1 ¼ cup milk or plain plant based milk*
1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese, optional
Fresh chives, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
- In a 13 inch ovenproof skillet, sautés pancetta and shallots over medium high heat for about 5 minutes, or until the pancetta is almost cooked. Add the diced leek, thyme, rosemary, ground mustard, and red pepper flakes. Continue to cook until the leeks have wilted, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste
- In a separate bowl, beat the eggs with the milk and the cheese. (To make your eggs as fluffy as possible, use a milk frother or electric mixer with a whisk attachment to beat the eggs. This would produce bubbles in the eggs, making them more light and airy.)
- Pour the egg mixture over the skillet and stir to combine.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Turn to broil and cook for another 5-10 minutes, or until the top is golden brown.
- Garnish with fresh chives and enjoy!
Notes
- To make your eggs as fluffy as possible, use a milk frother or electric mixer with a whisk attachment to beat the eggs. This should produce bubbles in the eggs, making them more light and airy.
- Any milk works, as long as it is not sweetened or flavored. I prefer regular skim milk or unsweetened almond milk.
- For a vegetarian option, you could leave out the pancetta or substitute for diced baby Bella mushrooms. In this case, I would add 1-2 tbsp of olive oil to sauté.
- If your skillet is not oven-proof, simply combine all ingredients and pour into a 9×9 or 8×8 greased baking dish.