The only thing better than a good recipe? When something’s so easy to make that you don’t even need one. Welcome to It’s That Simple, a column where we talk you through the process of making the dishes and drinks that they can make with their eyes closed.
Everyone will tell you that the way to use up leftover rice is to make fried rice. The best version of the latter requires the former, as the cooked grains are drier and therefore more amenable to high heat, flavor absorption, and the ever-coveted crispiness.
But what happens when you’ve made fried rice three too many times in the past month? Or when you don’t have quite enough left over to constitute a full meal? Might I suggest the crispy rice frittata, a dish I put together when I was in one such scenario. I was inspired by just how much we love crispy rice around BA but constrained by the fact that it was a pantry dinner kind of night. In the end, though, it turned out so well that it became a staple in my kitchen, even an excuse to make extra rice.
This crispy rice frittata is riffable, a perfect vehicle for using up not just your leftover rice, but whatever other odds and ends you have in your fridge. Greens like kale or spinach, a small block of lingering cheese, some roasted vegetables from a few nights ago, and that half a sausage you felt too guilty to throw out are all fair game. (Of course, certain ingredients will need to be cooked first. Don’t add in anything raw that you wouldn’t want to actually eat in its raw state: We’re thinking bacon, mushrooms, white onion). But when it comes down to it, the only nonnegotiables are olive oil, salt, eggs, and rice.
For the sake of a recipe(ish), here’s a streamlined version, to be followed exactly or used as a guide:
Start by preheating your oven to 300°.
Whisk together 6 eggs, along with a generous pinch of kosher salt. Beat until the whites and yolks are fully incorporated and the mixture looks a bit frothy. This ensures that your frittata will be nice and fluffy. Grate ¼ cup parmesan cheese using a microplane and mix that into your eggs. Set aside.
Next, heat 2 Tbsp. olive oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. While you’re waiting for the oil to get hot, slice 1 bunch scallions into bite-size pieces, discarding the hairy ends and the tippy-tops. Drop the pieces in the skillet, spread them out evenly, and then let them sit undisturbed for about 5 minutes. You’re not going to get a char on these like you would if they were in a piping-hot cast iron, but that’s okay. You just want them to get tender and take on a bit of color. Once they’re at that point, it’s time to add in the rice.
What dreams are made of!
Photo by Chelsie Craig, Food Styling by Pearl Jones
