Dill and Chard Frittata

Well, I have no chard pictures, but here’s the dill. You have guessed by now that I really love these herbal eggy things. The Persian herb pie is the purest variation, and this spinach and herb cake is more maximalist. The chard frittata is somewhere in the middle. I was trying for something a milder and creamier this time. The dill, chard leaves, and pine nuts were always meant to be together. This is the other half of this week’s Weekend Herb Blogging.

Dill and Chard Frittata

Leaves from one bunch chard (also called Swiss chard or silverbeet)
Olive oil
One large onion, thinly sliced
Six eggs
8 ounces feta
16 ounces ricotta
black pepper (you will not need added salt, the cheese has enough)
One small bunch dill, snipped
A few sprigs of parsley, if you happen to have some as well
2 tablespoons pine nuts

Preheat oven to 350. Wash the chard leaves and steam them in a large pot in the water that clings to the leaves. Remove the leaves from the pot and chop them roughly as soon as they are cool enough to handle. Heat the olive oil in an iron skillet. Add the sliced onion and cook until gold and softened. Add the chopped leaves to the onions and continue cooking a few minutes more. Allow to cool.

Beat the eggs with a fork. Stir in crumbled feta, ricotta, snipped dill, and minced parsley. Add a few grindings of black pepper. Stir in the cooked onion and chard mixture and mix. Pour a little more olive oil into the same skillet and set over heat. Pour the egg and chard batter into the skillet, scatter pine nuts over the top and place in the oven. Bake for about 30 minutes or until puffed and beautifully colored.

Providentially, the stems make a nicely contrasting dish.