Summer slice

Name: Tomato, bacon and zucchini frittata recipe
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 2 medium-sized zucchini (courgettes), coarsely grated; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1 onion, finely diced; 4 bacon rashers, cut into thin strips; 75 g self-raising flour; 100 g corn cob; 75 g pea; 5 eggs; 125 ml milk; 100 g cheddar cheese; 4 tomatoes, sliced (bonus points for heirloom colours)

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Summer slice. Images and text from In Praise of Veg and The Little Box of Veg by Alice Zaslavsky, photography by Ben Dearnley. Murdoch Books RRP $65.00/RRP $29.99

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by Alice Zaslavsky

AUTHOR

Aug 16, 2023

"This little slice of sunshine, inspired by a version from my mates Matt Wilkinson and Sharlee Gibb – which is literally the best we’ve found – is on high rotation at our house come summertime. That’s because it’s just as tasty fridge-cold as it is fresh from the oven." – Alice Zaslavsky. Images and text from In Praise of Veg and The Little Box of Veg by Alice Zaslavsky, photography by Ben Dearnley. Murdoch Books RRP $65.00/RRP $29.99

2 medium-sized zucchini (courgettes), coarsely grated
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 onion, finely diced
4 bacon rashers, cut into thin strips
1/2 cup (75 g) gluten-free self-raising flour (see notes)
1/2 cup (100 g) fresh (or frozen) corn kernels
1/2 cup (75 g) frozen peas
5 eggs
1/2 cup (125 ml) milk
1 cup (100 g) grated cheddar
4 tomatoes, sliced (bonus points for heirloom colours)

Method

1.

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Line a baking dish, about 20 cm x 25 cm (8 inches x 10 inches) in size, with baking paper, letting it overhang the sides a little.
2.

Line a bowl with a clean tea towel. Add the grated zucchini, sprinkle with the salt and mix together with your hands. Twist the tea towel into a garrotte to squeeze out the excess moisture from the zucchini, so you don’t end up with a watery slice. (You could use a sieve over a bowl, but you’ll have to work twice as hard.)
3.

Wipe the bowl dry, then pop the zucchini back in, along with the onion and bacon. Using a spatula, fold the flour through.
4.

Meanwhile, boil a kettle. Put the corn and peas in a small heatproof bowl and pour some boiling water over them. Let stand for a few minutes, then drain.
5.

In a bowl or jug, beat the eggs with a fork until the whites and yolks are combined, then beat in the milk. Pour the mixture over the zucchini, then fold in half the cheese, as well as the corn and peas.
6.

Pour the mixture (which will be runnier than you expect) into the baking dish. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese and arrange the tomato slices on top. Bake for 40–45 minutes, until the egg has set and the top is slightly burnished. Serve warm or cold.

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Recipe Notes

Tips
This slice tastes best in summer, when zucchini and tomatoes are at their peak. At other times of the year, just swap out the fresh tomatoes for a tomato chutney on the side.

I like using gluten-free flour in this slice because it’s lighter than regular flour, and forms a slightly different crust set at the bottom, but you can use regular self-raising flour if you’d prefer.

Double duty
Bake the batter in a muffin tin lined with paper cases as individually portioned frittatas for work and school lunchboxes – or just wrap slices in a bit of baking paper for on-the-go snacking.