Frittata

Vegan readers will have to pardon me. One of my favorite vegetarian dinners--ridiculously simple but also versatile and delicious--is the classic Spanish frittata.

I grew up more familiar with the frittata's French cousin, the omelet. I love the way, in an omelet, the light, fluffy envelope of beaten eggs folds over itself, enclosing sauteed mushrooms and parsley, or whatever flavorful tidbits I've decided to add.

A frittata offers other excitements, though. When a thick pool of beaten eggs has cooked in a skillet until the eggs are just setting, you get to throw the whole thing into the oven and watch the eggs puff for a final minute, forming a gentle billow. (Yes, you should be using an all-metal pan.)

Another highlight: because of a frittata's taller profile, it can accommodate the layering of zucchini rounds, or spinach, or mushrooms, or thin slices of potato, or shredded cheese -- until a cross section looks like some fantastically tempting piece of archeology. And cut into wedges, it's wonderful to eat cold.