Spaghetti squash, leek and green bean frittata

Replace pasta with vegetables for a lighter take!

I love making frittatas for brunch because they don’t take too long to prepare and they are a great way to use up little bits of produce, cheese and meat you have on hand from other meals. I often put leftover cooked pasta in my frittatas, so when I spied a tempting spaghetti squash from Just Farms in this month’s Farmers’ Feast basket from the Ottawa Farmers’ Market, I thought it might be fun to replace the pasta with squash strands. This frittata turned out to be a delicious, hearty gluten-free experiment that I’m sure I’ll be making again. Toss up a nice green side salad and you’ll be dishing up a lovely lunch that is both nutritious and delicious.

Ingredients

• 1/2 spaghetti squash
• 2 tablespoons (30 mL) olive oil
• 1 leek, white part only
• 1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely minced
• handful thin French beans, halved
• salt and pepper
• 4 eggs
• 3 tablespoons (45 mL) milk
• 3 tablespoons (45 mL) heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons (30 mL) chèvre
• 1 tablespoon (15 mL) finely chopped fresh celery leaves, parsley or basil

Method

• Remove seeds from the half spaghetti squash. Place cut side down in a steamer basket and steam in a covered pot of simmering water for 15 minutes or until the skin pierces easily with the tip of a sharp knife.
• Remove squash from pot and let cool for 5 minutes then shred the flesh (creating spaghetti-like strands) with the tines of a fork. Discard the rind.
• Place the shredded flesh in a strainer and balance over a bowl. Let drain for 5 minutes, tossing gently a few times with a fork or your fingers. Leave in strainer until ready to use.
• While squash is draining, trim the root end off the leek then split the leek in half lengthwise. Pull the layers apart with your fingers as you run the halves under cold running water, rinsing out any dirt or grit. Slice finely.
• Preheat oven to 425F.
• Preheat the olive oil in a 9 inch (22.5 cm) cast iron pan until it is warm but not too hot. Add the sliced leeks and jalapenos. Cook, stirring, for 3 minutes.
• Add the halved beans and drained spaghetti squash, along with salt and pepper. Cook for 3 minutes more, stirring often.
• While vegetables are cooking, in a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, cream and chèvre until well blended.
• Pour the egg mixture over the vegetables in the cast iron pan and stir briefly with a fork to combine. Sprinkle with chopped celery leaves.
• Cook on stovetop over medium heat for 5 minutes.
• Transfer pan to preheated oven and bake for 10 – 12 minutes until set in the centre.
• Let stand 2 minutes before cutting into wedges and serving.

Serves 3 – 4.