Three Cheese Italian Sausage Frittata

A couple weeks back I was having one of those weeks that were so busy I didn't even have time to really go grocery shopping properly, yet I still wanted to cook a respectable meal for dinner. I needed a "kitchen sink" recipe. One where I could throw whatever random stuff I still had in the fridge together into something really good. Enter Frittata.

There was a bit of leftover spinach that was too wilted for a salad, but still fresh enough to eat, a Costco sized jar of sundried tomatoes that's saved many meals of this nature, a random assortment of cheeses (though not really enough of any specific type to use on it's own), eggs, milk, and a couple links of sweet Italian sausage that needed to be used up. I don't remember the specifics of why the week was so busy, but I do know that there sure was not much in the way of vegetables around our house by the end of the week and I had to figure out what I was going to make without setting foot in a grocery store. These weeks are definitely an exercise is creativity and frugality! I think we fared pretty lucky with this yummy frittata.

Three Cheese Italian Sausage Frittata
a goodLife {eats} creation

• 1/4 lb. sweet (or spicy) Italian sausage, in casings
  
• 1 red onion, halved and thinly sliced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
  
• 1 heaping cup of bow tie pasta (precooked)
  
• 1/3 cup sundried tomatoes in oil, roughly chopped
• 1 packed cup fresh baby spinach, roughly chopped
  
• 6 eggs
• 1/4 cup milk
  
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp salt
  
• 1/3 cup grated provolone
• 2 Tbs freshly grated parmesan
  
• 1/2 cup grated mozzarella

In a non-stick skillet, cook the sausage till browned on all sides and cooked through. Remove and set aside until cool enough to handle. Saute the onion in the sausage drippings, adding a bit of olive oil if necessary, for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and saute one minute more. Meanwhile, cut the sausage into bite sized pieces (I sliced the links long ways and then cut half circle shaped pieces).

In a medium sized bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, salt and pepper together. Rinse the sundried tomatoes of excess oil. Add to the eggs. Stir in the remaining ingredients, including the cooked sausage, onion, and garlic.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a nonstick skillet with olive oil. Pour egg mixture in and set over the stove on medium-low heat. Cook without stirring until bottom is set, about 8-12 minutes. Then, transfer to the oven for 10-15 minutes, until the top is set.

Place a serving plate over the skillet and carefully invert the frittata. Cut into wedges and serve.

Substitutions: Sauteed mushrooms would be a wonderful, meatless substitution for the sausage. You may need to add some additional seasonings if you go that route because thee sausage adds a lot of flavor (possibly a dash of red pepper, additional salt, and basil). Zucchini could be substituted for the spinach and frozen spinach can be used in place of fresh as long as the water has been squeezed out once it's thawed.