frittata

American  

[fri-tah-tuh, freet-tah-tah] / frɪˈtɑ tə, fritˈtɑ tɑ /

noun

Italian Cooking.

frittatas, plural frittate plural

1. an omelet resembling a large pancake and containing vegetables, seasonings, and often ricotta, Parmesan, or other cheese.

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frittata British  

/ frɪˈtɑːtə /

noun

1. an Italian dish made with eggs and chopped vegetables or meat, resembling a flat thick omelette

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Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

noun

• frittatas
  plural
• frittate
  plural

Etymology

Origin of frittata

1930–35; < Italian: omelet, equivalent to fritt ( o ) fried ( see frit) + -ata -ade ¹

Explanation

A frittata is an egg dish that's usually made with meat, cheese, and vegetables. You can think of a frittata as an Italian omelette. The origin of the word frittata is the Italian friggere, "fried," and in Italy it was once a common way to describe any egg dish cooked in butter or oil in a pan. Some chefs describe frittatas as "open-faced omelettes," since omelettes are eggs folded around a savory filling, while a frittata's ingredients are incorporated into the egg mixture. Next time you have a bunch of eggs and some cheese and peppers, you should try making a frittata.

Example Sentences

Frittata recipes, including this potato frittata, rarely call for milk or cream.

From Salon • May 7, 2022

Frittata with a side of toast is great, but how about toast baked right inside it?

From Salon • Aug. 13, 2021

Frittata is good for breakfast, lunch or dinner; hot or cold; alone, with a salad, or in a sandwich.

From Washington Post • Jan. 4, 2019

Frittata: Eggs are by all means the most useful cushions for leftovers, and frittata, an omelet for a crowd, is my all time most-used format.

From Slate • Mar. 20, 2016

Chicken Frittata: Shred roasted chicken or cut breaded chicken into cubes.

From The Perdue Chicken Cookbook by Perdue, Mitzi