Frittata doesn't get better than this !

I was giving this dish a trial this morning as I am demonstrating for Riverford again this weekend at the Sussex Food & Farming show, Weald and Downland open-air Museum, Singleton, West Sussex. I wanted to combine a few of the seasonal flavours that are available this week and create a dish that can be cooked, start to finish, in 30 minutes as this is how long I have on stage. I can't quite describe how fantastically delicious this fittata is. Cook it now ! Before the wild garlic is no more and the purple sprouting has vanished for another year. I think these are my favourite spring vegetables. Purple sprouting , the first showing of fresh green after the roots of winter , tender, sweet and bursting with vitamins, as fresh and crisp as a spring morning. Wild garlic is a dichotomy of intense yet subtle over and undertones, sometimes garlic, sometimes spring onion and hints of leek. Both are only with us for a short season and this dish uses them both to their best.

Purple sprouting broccoli, wild garlic & taleggio frittata

Serves: 4

• Taleggio cheese, sliced
 
• 1 large handful purple sprouting broccoli stems

• 1 handful wild garlic leaves, shredded or a couple of crushed regular cloves

• 6 eggs, beaten

• 1 medium onion, sliced

• 1 small leek, sliced

• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
• Salt and pepper 

Blanch the broccoli stems in boiling salted water for a few minutes, plunge into cold water and drain. Soften the onions , leek and garlic , if using, in a little olive oil in an ovenproof frying pan on a gentle heat for about 5 minutes until soft. Arrange half the broccoli in the pan, Season the beaten eggs with salt and pepper and mix in the parsley and wild garlic if using and pour this evenly over the broccoli/onion/ and leek mixture. Layer on the rest of the broccoli and push down into the egg before laying the cheese slices on top.

Cook over a low-ish heat until you can see the frittata cooking at the edges. Then pop it under a medium hot grill to finish. Keep an eye on it as the top cooks fast. Serve warm with a crisp green or tomato salad.