Potato Crusted Canadian Bacon and White Cheddar Frittata

Potato Crusted Canadian Bacon and White Cheddar Frittata

I was asked to create a recipe for Klondike Rose Potatoes which is a very pretty yellow fleshed potato with a pinkish red skin. As regular readers will attest, I love my weekend brunches and this delicious Canadian inspired frittata made this past weekend's brunch very special indeed. 

I sliced these beautiful potatoes and blind baked them into an oven safe frying pan to form a potato "crust" for the frittata which included some lightly fried Canadian Bacon and aged white cheddar cheese which gets diced small instead of grating to provide tasty cheese pockets throughout the dish. It was absolutely delicious with some spicy quick tomato compote served on top.

 Brush the inside of a non stick, oven safe, frying pan with

• 3 tbsp melted butter

Slice about 

• 1 1/2 to 2 pounds of Klondike Rose potatoes

in about 1/8 inch slices. Overlap the potato slices to completely cover the bottom and sides of the buttered frying pan. This will form the potato crust of the frittata which must be blind baked before adding the filling.

To blind bake the potato crust, simply place a piece of parchment paper or aluminum foil over the potatoes and cover the bottom of the frying pan with baking weights. (Dry beans, peas, rice or barley work just as well as anything else.) Bake at 350 degrees F for about 20- 25 minutes. Remove baking weights and parchment (or foil). Mix together and sprinkle the following ingredients over the bottom of the potato crust:

• 6 ounces lightly fried Canadian bacon, chopped in 1/2 inch squares
• 6 ounces white cheddar cheese diced small, 1/2 inch or less
• ¼ cup chopped chives
• 2 cloves finely minced garlic

Quickly whisk together:

• 8 large eggs
• 1/3  cup whipping cream
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper

Pour the egg mixture into the potato crust.

Bake at 350 degrees F for about 20 to 25 minutes or until the eggs have set at the center. Invert  the frittata onto a serving platter. Serve immediately topped with Spicy Quick Tomato Compote.

Spicy Quick Tomato Compote

• 4 cloves minced garlic
• 6 tbsp olive oil
• 8 large ripe tomatoes diced
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 tsp crushed chili sauce or ¼ tsp chili flakes
• salt and pepper to season
  

Sauté the garlic in the oil over medium heat for just a minute before adding the tomatoes, brown sugar, chili sauce, salt, pepper. Continue to cook until the tomatoes soften and the compote reduces to a jam-like consistency. Add the balsamic vinegar in the final minute or two of cooking before serving.

Bacon Potato and Cheddar Frittata

Bacon Potato and Cheddar Frittata

Bacon Potato and Cheddar Frittata

We are planning an awesome Mothers Day Brunch at our house and the center of that delicious meal will be an easy-to-make frittata that's a simple way to feed the crowd without spending all morning in the kitchen, especially if you are using leftover or previously prepared ingredients such as leftover ham, sausage or crisp cooked bacon. Frittatas also make good use of leftover plain pasta or potatoes; we use leftover roasted potato nuggets in this frittata recipe. You can find our Perfect Roast Potato recipe here.

Serves 6

Heat a 12-inch oven safe skillet on the stove. Brush a little olive oil on the bottom and sides of the skillet.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

When the skillet gets hot, remove it from the heat and sprinkle over the entire surface of the skillet, in even layers:

• 3 cups diced roasted potatoes
• ½ pound crisp cooked bacon, chopped
• ½ pound diced aged cheddar cheese
• ¼ cup chopped chives

Quickly whisk together:

• 10 large eggs
• ½  cup whipping cream
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp pepper
• ½ tsp chili flakes (optional)

Bake at 350 degrees F for about 25 minutes or until the eggs have set at the center. Serve immediately.

Bacon and Chorizo Frittata

I'm a big advocate of breakfast or brunch dishes for supper, especially during a busy work week. This frittata is a great suggestion for a very flavourful, quick and easy weekday supper or weekend brunch idea.

Serves 4-6

Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet. Add and cook until softened:

1 clove minced garlic

In a large bowl whisk together

6 large eggs
1/3 cup whipping cream
Salt and pepper to season
½ tsp ground cumin
2 tbsp hot sauce (optional)

To the egg mixture fold in:

8 slices crisp cooked bacon, crumbled
4 ounces cooked chorizo sausage, chopped
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
¼ cup chopped cilantro
1 roasted red pepper, diced
½ cup pitted kalamata olives
1 cup precooked pasta

Pour into a greased 9x9 baking dish or back into an oiled oven proof skillet.
Bake for 30-40 minutes or until the center springs back when pressed lightly.