Country French Omelet (Bacon & Potato Frittata)

I have a back log of pre-recorded TV shows, and I am slowly whittling my way through them.  Last weekend, it was "The Barefoot Contessa" shows that I decided to watch.  Truthfully, I tend to fast-forward through most of my recorded episodes.  If something catches my eye, then I pay close attention.  This recipe comes from Ina's "Back to Basics" Cookbook that I own.  The episode was called "Postcards from Paris". I've never been to Paris, which also included the recipe for making Potato Basil Puree-- that I've since made, loved and posted on my blog. Had I not watched Ina's show, I probably wouldn't have made this particular recipe.  Maybe it sounded so "basic", but seeing things can be powerful persuasion.

The reason this recipe did win my attention is that my husband loves bacon. Seriously, all I have to do is start bacon and onions on the stove and he starts to circle around the kitchen.  I like bacon, but I limit how much I eat-- with the exception of our candied bacon.   My will power weakens, over the sweet and saltiness of preparing bacon, that way.   Potatoes, on the other hand, is one of my true weaknesses.  I had all of the ingredients, on hand,  to make this omelet (I consider it more of a frittata).  I love it when that happens!

Begin with slicing bacon into 1-inch pieces.

Add a little olive-oil into an ovenproof skillet, and cook the bacon until it's browned, but not crisp.

Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.

While the bacon is cooking, cut 1 cup of diced Yukon Gold potatoes. My potatoes were small, so I used two of them, unpeeled.  Can you use any other kind of potatoes? Sure.  Yukons are just my favorite spuds to prepare as home fries, next to red potatoes.  Place the potatoes in the pan and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Continue to cook over medium-low heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until very tender and browned, tossing occasionally to brown evenly.

I always like to test the potatoes, to make sure they are fork tender. These took close to 20 minutes until they were ready.  At this point, I could eat a a plate full of golden fried potatoes. But, we have a few more steps to do.

 Remove with a slotted spoon to the same plate with the bacon. Pour out any remaining fat, from the pan.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, beat five eggs, milk, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper together.

 

Add one tablespoon of unsalted butter, lower the heat to low, and pour the eggs into the hot pan.

 Chop about 1 Tablespoon of fresh chives. Fortunately, I have lots of this growing in our herb garden.

Sprinkle the bacon, potatoes, and chives evenly over the top and place the pan in a 350F preheated oven for about 8 minutes, just until the eggs are set.

 Lovely!

Ina slides her omelet onto a plate, divided in half, and serve hot. This actually made four servings for us. That's a good thing, because my son was hungry as well.

TASTING NOTES:   Seriously? Bacon and potatoes?  Delicious, of course.  It was very satisfying, and the fourth serving was easily reheated the next day.  It was just as good. I think there are plenty of variations that would be great with this recipe.  Chopped bell pepper would add some pretty color.  Mushrooms would be nice. Sausage could work, too.  However, it's the simplicity of the ingredients that worked well. The chives are perfect in this recipe.   A printable recipe is at the end of this post.

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