Black Bean Fritatta

Last week, as part of my master-the-fritatta-month, I made a Cinco de Mayo frittata. I didn't use a recipe; I made it up.  That's part of my goal - learning to cook without a book.

Basing it on the fritatta recipe I gave you last week, I used 7 eggs, a few spoonfuls of Philly Cooking Creme Santa Fe flavor, a handful of black beans, a handful of chopped green pepper, a handful of chopped spring onion, and about 3/4 a cup of Mexican blend and taco blend cheeses.

I didn't think to saute the peppers in the pan first the way the other recipe instructs. I realized this once it was in the oven.  I worried that would make the green pepper too crunchy in there, but it wasn't at all. I guess I diced them small enough to cook well through. Sauteing them, however, might have brought out their flavor more.

This fritatta turned out pretty good, but I wanted a little more kick to it. I don't like super spicy Mexican but I do like lots of flavor, bordering on threatening. I've never been the gal that totally falls for the bad boy, but I don't mind getting burned from time to time by a jalapeno - so long as I have plenty of sour cream near by.

You do know that dairy is the only thing that can "wash" the burn off your tongue, right?  Water won't help and soda will make it worse.  But sour cream or milk will neutralize it. The dairy proteins bind with your taste bud receptors, knocking the hot molecules off and down your throat. That's a free fact brought to you today by the letter D and the American Dairy Counsel.  (Actually, I learned it from Alton Brown.)

So, next time I make this fritatta I will use more of the Santa Fe creme to up the flavor - I only used about 1/4 of the container this time.  I'll use 3/4 next time.  I also think that will give the fritatta more "lift." I may also add a 1/4 tsp. of ground cumin, or throw in some diced jalapeno and black olives.

I rescued this one's good but relatively mild flavor by spooning some salsa over top our slices and served it with some guacamole and chips on the side. Then I followed with the real show stopper - Dulce de Leche cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory.  OH MY that was good.

Over all, not bad for a first attempt at a new fritatta made up by yours truely. I think for my next one I'll use potato in it somehow, or maybe asparagus ...