Looking for a good use for leftover meatballs? Try this frittata

Meatball ­Frittata­ with­ Mozzarella ­and­ Tomatoes

Time: 20 minutes (15 minutes active)

Makes 4 main course or 6 appetiser servings

Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, sliced
1 cup grape or cherry
tomatoes, cut in half
fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
8 eggs
2 tbsp grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
2 tbsp slivered basil leaves
227g meatballs, cut in half if more than 2½cm in diameter
115g mozzarella, preferably fresh, cut into 1¼cm chunks
green salad, to serve

Method
­Preheat the oven to 425°F.

In a large ovenproof and preferably nonstick skillet, heat ½ tbsp of the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, then add the tomatoes and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring once or twice, until the tomato juices are viscous and glossy, about 2 minutes. Pour the tomatoes onto a plate, and use a silicone spatula to scrape any sticky tomato juices onto the plate as well.

Whisk the eggs until well blended, then mix in the Parmigiano and basil. Season with salt and pepper. (Start with ¾ tsp salt: you can cook up a spoonful of the mix to check the seasoning.)

Heat the remaining ½ tbsp of olive oil in the skillet over medium-high heat. Place the meatballs in the pan, cut sides down if they have been halved. Evenly sprinkle in the tomatoes. Pour in the egg mixture, using a fork to evenly redistribute tomatoes or basil if necessary. Sprinkle the mozzarella evenly across the pan. Cook until the edges of the frittata start to set, then use a silicone spatula to pull the cooked egg away from the sides of the pan a bit, letting the raw egg flow behind it. Repeat a few times and cook until the eggs are almost set in the perimeter of the pan, about 5 minutes.

Place the pan in the oven and bake until the eggs are just set in the centre and the frittata and the top is dappled with toasty brown patches, about 5 minutes. Turn on the grill and grill for 1 minute to help set the top and to foster bubbly, toasted cheese bites.

Remove the pan from the oven. The frittata is easiest to remove from the pan after resting 5 minutes. Slide the spatula underneath to loosen, then top with a large plate or pizza pan over the pan and invert the frittata onto it. Flip the frittata one more time onto a serving plate or cutting board so it is right side up. Serve with a green salad.

Extracted from Secrets of Great Second Meals by Sara Dickerman (William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins, approx €30). Copyright © 2019 by Sara Dickerman.