Potato, Pancetta, Spinach, & Crab Frittata

After my newly formed trio's 7.17 mile zinger yesterday {go us!}, I came home with quite an appetite. Thanks to a little inspiration from my fellow blogger Michelle, I embarked on a kitchen journey to explore the wide world of brunch foods. For us, breakfast usually consists of Special K cereal or eggs {fried or scrambled}, turkey bacon, and fruit. When I saw the frittata recipe, I thought this would be a great way to add some diversity in the mix.

And if you're like me and thought "Sounds good, but what the heck its a frittata or pancetta?", don't feel bad. I google'd it. A frittata is a spanish style omelette that's finished in the oven and served like a quiche, and pancetta is cured italian pork. You'll find it in the deli... it's a good alternative to ham and prosciutto. It has a pretty bold flavor, too, and added awesome flavor to the dish.

It's a really easy recipe to follow... the most time consuming part is chopping the ingredients.

Season and saute EVOO, russet potatoes,  and onion until tender.

Mix together eggs, spinach, diced pancetta, and crab.  

Pour mixture over potatoes, stir once, and place in 400 degree oven until eggs set.

Slice and serve! 

Potato, Pancetta, Crab & Spinach Frittata (adapted from this recipe)

• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 small russet potatoes (about 3/4 pound), peeled and thinly sliced
• 4 ounces chopped pancetta
• 8 ounces jumbo lump crab meat*
• 1/2 small onion, thinly sliced
• 9 large eggs
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 1/2 bag frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed of excess liquid 
• 8 ounces 2% sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded

Pre-heat oven to 400° F. Heat the oil in a large ovenproof nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the potatoes and onion and cook, tossing occasionally, until the potatoes are tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Be careful to not let the potatoes stick to the bottom of the pan- they will burn!

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Mix in the spinach, cheese, crab and pancetta. Add the egg mixture to the skillet, stir once, and transfer the skillet to oven. Cook until the eggs are set, 15 to 20 minutes.

* Jumbo lump crab meat can get a little pricey. I found a 16oz can of "Chicken of the Sea" brand on sale for $18. The seafood specialist {not sure what to call them} at the grocery store said all lump crab meat comes from the same distributor, so the with the more expensive cans, you're just paying for the label. With the leftover meat, you can make crab cakes, gumbo, ceviche, stuffed lobster... tons of options!

Let me know if you have any fun substitutuions or suggestions... I would love some new ideas :)
Happy President's Day weekend!