POTATOES AND EGGS, ITALIAN AMERICAN COMFORT FOOD

Today we go back to Italian-American cuisine, that oftimes misunderstood, sometimes terribly gone bad cuisine that is the evolution of Immigrant Italian’s cuisine with their new country, America.  Let me first say that most of the offensive forms of Italian-American cuisine are created in the corporate board rooms and kitchens of large U.S. corporations.   Red Bell Peppers are not part of a Sunday Tomato Sauce for pasta,  here or in Italy. What seems to have happened is that a single ingredient that IS part of Italian cooking gets thrown into everything that a corporate type or misinformed American thinks SHOULD make a dish Italian. Like that completely un-Italian dried mess known as “ITALIAN SEASONING”.  The ONLY thing ITALIAN about that mixture is the word ITALIAN on the label, after that, it’s an AMERICAN convenience food idea of what constitutes a mix of herbs used in Italian cuisine.  Rarely will Italian cooking contain a mess of more than 2 herbs, and with the exception of dried Oregano, dried herbs are NOT used in Italian cooking.  Dried Oregano yes, that’s authentically Italian, fresh is hardly ever used, it’s a more modern addition to recipes if you see it.  Dried Rosemary, Basil (NEVER!), Tarragon, Savory, whatever else they blend together in those spice factories is not Italian.  Rant over. It’s 2015, most people live near big supermarkets which carry fresh herbs, all the time. Seek them out rather than a dried mess in a very non-Italian blend.  The number one way you produce outstanding dishes starts with the raw materials/ingredients.  So speaking of ingredients this brings us to the point of this blog..POTATOES AND EGGS, a frittata, scrambled egg-ish mix of cooked fried potatoes, beaten eggs, with only a few other ingredients added. Traditionally this is tucked into a good Italian hero roll or Italian bread, or can be eaten on it’s own.  It’s Italian-American comfort food.  Clearly it’s the evolution of a simple frittata from Italy.  The quality of this dish comes from the quality of the ingredients.  Start with the best eggs you can find (at the risk of sounding like Ina Garten’s teleprompter).  Eggs should not cost 1.87 @ dozen.  Cage Free, Organic, these are some labels you should be looking for when purchasing eggs.  Best?  Farm fresh, but seriously expounding that notion is quite romantic but ridiculously impractical.  If there’s a local farmers market where you can access those types of egg that’s perfect.     So that’s living ina perfect world for buying your ingredients.  Not practical though, so seek out what are the best in the market you are going to.

POTATOES AND EGGS, A FOOD OBSESSION’S VERSION

SERVES: 4                                           TIME:  20 MINUTES

2 PEELED AND DICED BAKING POTATOES,COOKED IN SALTED WATER TILL  JUST ABOUT TENDER, DRAINED AND COOLED.

8 FRESH EGGS, CRACKED INTO A BOWL

GROUND BLACK PEPPER or PEPERONCINO

KOSHER SALT

3 TBS. GRATED PECORINO ROMANO

2 TBS. GOOD OLIVE OIL

In a non stick frying pan heat 1 tbs. of the olive oil and pan fry the potatoes, sprinkling about 1/8 tsp of salt over the potatoes.  Fry them until the are just light golden brown on both sides.  While the potatoes are frying beat the eggs with the cheese and 1/4 tsp. fresh ground black pepper or a pinch of Peperoncino NOT BOTH!!.  Add  additional tsp. of olive oil to the pan when the potatoes are done and swirl the new oil in the pan gently around.  Now pour the egg mixture over the potatoes.  When the sides have started to set leave the pan on medium heat and in 3minutes, with a rubber spatula, check the bottom of the eggs to see if they are not only set but lightly browned.  Slide the eggs onto a plate, cooked side down. Then invert the plate over the pan and slide it back into the pan..cooked side up remember.  Let this cook for no more than 3 minutes.  If using a flameproof pan, you can run the eggs under a broiler for 2 minutes and skip the “inversion” process.   When it’s done simply slide back onto the plate and cut in quarters to serve.

Did I just hear someone say…”What about the onions?””What about the peppers or mozzarella???””No herbs??”  Here’s the deal.  ALWAYS learn the basic version first.  This is how it was done originally, then the bits and pieces from the fridge started to show up..maybe cooked onions, or peppers, or both.. (Peppers and Eggs is another distinct dish from the same school) bits of salami, mozzarella, scamorza, swiss, ricotta, oregano, parsley, zucchini, etc. all found there way into this delicious mix.  Try the basic to start.  Add it to some good Italian bread for an awesome sangwich. I sprinkle some Peperoncino and a little Pecorino over it..do that, or not..up to you. Simple. Basic.  Italian.  Try this out and tell me how you like it!!

In the lead picture I added some fresh picked oregano for color to make LA BELLA FIGURA for a nice shot.  A little chopped fresh oregano is very tasty on this. Since I make this basic and with fridge additions as well, the day I decided to snap a shot of the dish, i had some cut onion in the fridge so it went into the potatoes and oil. I’ll leave that all up to you.