Last week I discovered online shopping. Or, better, drive-in shopping ... ok let me explain.
I live near the city centre, sufficiently out of being able to say that I live in the countryside but also sufficiently comfortable for all the services of the center: on the road that I usually take back from work there is a large shopping center with a big supermarket inside.
I do not habitually use it because it is too big and it takes me too much time, especially when I need a few things or I need only fresh ingredients: I must also say that it’s more expensive on average than other supermarkets in the area.
I buy vegetables from the greengrocer or in the markets and the meat from the butcher, so I don’t do much more shopping at the supermarket, but there are times when I need products that I only find there. Due to a promotional email I received last week, I discovered this new service: basically you order online on a huge catalog of products (and here it is better to go straight to the point and still have a list), then book time and day of collection, then you arrive by car, you scan the barcode and park in the assigned place. At that point a very nice saleswoman arrives with your cart: she has walked the supermarket for you, has filled the bags with purchases, takes them to the car, receives your payment and greets you.
I found it brilliant, for when I have short time.
On other occasions, I still don’t want to take away the pleasure of choosing by me the ingredient, to make me create new dishes just walking the lanes.
Otherwise, this omelette is fine when you have short time, but even when you have a little more, because it’s delicious, with seasonal ingredients and rich in flavor, perfect in small slices as an appetizer or simply shared in two for dinner accompanied by a bit of salad enriched with ripe tomatoes.
For this occasion, I mixed white and green asparagus: the Bianco Dop of Bassano is still expensive and I haven’t had time to go there to buy some from the farmers.
In any case, green or white, it will be fine and will be appreciated by those who share it with you.
NOTES
Variations are endless: instead of asparagus, use artichokes, well-squeezed spinaches, sweet peas, baby onions,… are all very well ... You can really indulge yourself. The rule is always the same: first cook the vegetables, drain the water in excess, add the eggs and herbs and go.
If you want to add a delicious touch, you can fry some bacon cubes and let it be crunchy, then add them to the eggs when they’re cooled down removing the excess of fat. Attention to the salt in this case, if you use bacon it may be already a bit ‘salty.
For a vegan version, you can prepare the frittata without eggs and enrich it the same way with the asparagus: the recipe, prepared with chickpea flour, you can find it here on Daniela's website
Wash the asparagus well, remove the bottom because it is the hardest part: if you want, with the peeler remove the most tough skin on the outside, especially in green ones. Cut in slices already raw, because they would all break after been cooked: put them in a non-stick pan, cover them with water and boil until they are tender. Drain it from the excess of water and keep the asparagus aside.
In a bowl put the eggs, grated cheese, salt and pepper, parsley and marjoram leaves and beat everything with a fork. In the same pan pour the oil, heat it a little and add the egg mixture. When you see that the edges are cooked and come off the wall of the pan, with a silicone spatula try to peek if the bottom will get away: if so, take a plate, take a breath and help yourself with the spatula to slide the omelette on the plate. Now cover the omelette with the pan upside down, take the measurements and keeping the dish attached to the pan turn it quickly and voilà!
Leave it on the fire until the other side is cooked. Serve hot, but it is also good cold especially if you take it to work for lunch.
