crispy kale & harissa frittata

a few years ago, i tried to make a frittata on my birthday. i don't remember what recipe i was trying to follow or what process i used. i blocked that memory out of my mind because it was an utter kitchen fail. tears were shed, i kid you not. and then we got dressed and went out for breakfast. i had never made a frittata before in my life. and i had a sad not-so-non-stick pan. 

yesterday i marched out and purchased a good non-stick sautee pan. hell, i deserved a new pan every once and a while. but more importantly, i deserve perfect frittatas any time i want. first up, a frittata version of my go to breakfast of crisped kale & eggs. with an added kick from harissa paste. this recipe is probably a 'three-star' on the heat scale. so modify if you like, or skip the harissa entirely. 

crispy kale & harissa frittata ~ serves 6

10 eggs

2 tablespoons milk

1 bunch kale

1 + 1/2 teaspoons harissa paste

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika 

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper

1/4 teaspoon aleppo pepper 

1/2 cup crumbled feta (i used sheep feta) 

3 tablespoons olive oil, separate

optional: roasted garlic, roasted bell peppers, or sauteed shallot

preheat oven to 375. wash and dry kale and remove stems. tear kale into 2 inch bits and spread out on a large baking sheet. in a small bowl, whisk together a tablespoon of olive oil with 1 teaspoon harissa paste and smoked paprika. pour this mixture onto the kale and use your hands to toss and coat kale evenly. spread out the kale on the baking sheet and roast in oven until just starting to crisp, but not blacken (check after 5 minutes or so). let cool. 

the easiest way to whisk all these eggs is to toss them in a blender along with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon harissa paste, 1/2 teaspoon salt, black and aleppo pepper. bend just for a few seconds on medium speed until lightly fluffy. 

in a 10-inch non-stick & oven-safe sautee pan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. add whisked eggs and scramble gently for a few minutes. the mixture should still be very wet. at this stage, remove from heat and fold in the crisped kale, and top with the crumbled feta (or any additional optional ingredients). return the pan to the stovetop, and let sit untouched for 2-3 minutes over low heat to allow the frittata to begin to set. run a spatula around the edge, to loosen the frittata from the pan. then using a spoon, drizzle a bit of olive oil just around the edge of the pan. remove from stove top and place into the preheated oven. bake for another 15 minutes or so until eggs are firmly set and the edges of the frittata start to bubble and brown. 

let cool slightly before cutting to serve. with your favorite hot sauce if you like. or a sprinkling of aleppo pepper. enjoy!