I'm so very, very glad that I learned how to make an omelet before I ever made a frittata. Fritatte are so easy that I never would have bothered trying anything else. Last night was Marcella Hazan's potato and onion frittata. First you make her diced stove top potatoes. Diced potatoes, cooked in oil, then allowed to cool, then fried crisp. It was hard to continue without eating all the potatoes plain while I cooked the onions in the same oil, but somehow I managed. Then you just beat the eggs, stir in the potatoes, the golden brown onions (a side note. Onions? My favorite vegetable. I also love all the alliums- leeks, shallots, scallions, garlic- but I'd trade them all for a mess of caramelized onions) and some salt and pepper. Pour into a buttered oven proof skillet, and bake for 15 minutes. Marcella suggests cooking on the stovetop and then running it under the broiler, but I don't quite understand if/how my broiler works. I'm frightened of it, in fact.

Perhaps if you use the stovetop/broiler method, the 2 tablespoons of butter Marcella uses is necessary. But in the oven? It's way, way too much butter.

Despite the excess butter (and I know, who knew there was such a thing?) the frittatta was delicious. I may make another one tomorrow night- I was going to try my hand at handmade pasta, but somehow suspect that project may get pushed off to another day.