Swiss Chard and Smoked Provola Frittata

La storia di questo piatto

Wild field chard, picked where the grass is still wet, is the humble green heart of the Italian countryside table, and here it meets the quiet, smoky voice of provola. Nothing grand, nothing ancient to claim: just a home kitchen's gesture, green and smoke folded together in egg.

Ingredienti

• 700 g Wild chard (gross weight, to be cleaned)
• 6 units Eggs
• 150 g Smoked provola
• 2 cloves Garlic
• 4 tablespoons Extra virgin olive oil
• 40 g Grated Parmesan
• 3 g Salt
• 1 pinch Black pepper
• 1/2 chili Fresh chili pepper

Preparazione

1. Wash the chard well, remove the tougher stems and cut into large pieces. In a wide skillet heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium heat with the crushed garlic and crumbled chili: when the garlic sizzles and smells fragrant without browning, add the still-wet chard and season with 2 g of salt. Wilt it, stirring occasionally, covered for the first 3 minutes (the steam softens it), then uncovered over high heat so the released water evaporates: in about 10 minutes it becomes tender and a bright dark green. Remove the garlic and chili at the end, lifting them out with a fork.
2. Transfer the chard to a strainer or a deep plate; if it still holds some water, gently squeeze it with your hands without overdoing it. Let it cool for 5 minutes: if you pour it hot into the eggs, they begin to set immediately and the frittata turns dry and rubbery. Meanwhile, crack the eggs into a bowl, beat them with a fork, add the Parmesan, pepper and 1 g of salt: mix until the mixture is uniform and slightly frothy on the surface.
3. Add the lukewarm chard to the eggs, then cut the provola into small cubes and fold them in gently: cut this way, rather than grated, they form small melting pockets inside the frittata instead of disappearing into the egg. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a 26-28 cm non-stick skillet over medium-low heat for about 2 minutes, until well heated but not smoking, then pour in the mixture and level it with the back of a spoon.
4. Cook the first side over low heat for 8-10 minutes in total: keep the lid on for the first 3-4 minutes to help the heat rise and set the surface, then remove it to let the steam escape. The frittata is ready to flip when the edges pull away from the pan on their own, the surface is nearly set and a golden crust has formed underneath.
5. Place a flat plate slightly larger than the pan over the skillet, flip the frittata decisively onto it and slide it back into the pan. Cook the other side, uncovered, over low heat for 4-5 minutes: it is ready when this side is golden too and, when you prick the center, no liquid egg comes out. Alternatively, to avoid flipping, finish cooking in the oven at 180 °C for 10-12 minutes, until the surface is set and golden.
6. Let the frittata rest for 5 minutes off the heat before cutting it: this lets the provola strands settle so they don't all tear apart at once. Serve in wedges, if desired with a drizzle of raw extra virgin olive oil (optional, to taste).