Sunday Brunch

I tried a new recipe yesterday from Donna Hay's Modern Classics 1, which Sarah got me for graduation. I love Donna Hay's cookbooks and magazines, mostly for the photography but the recipes are great too.

Roast vegetable frittata makes the perfect Sunday brunch. Light but substantial, and healthy. The veggies radiate this amazing aroma when they're roasting in the oven – adds to the anticipation. I don't usually cook with sweet potatoes so it was nice to try something new.

I halved the recipe, of course, since I am only cooking for one (+ leftovers), but I used four eggs and a whole bell pepper.

Roast Vegetable Frittata

-600g (20 oz) orange sweet potato or pumpkin, peeled and chopped
-1 red bell pepper
-2 zucchini, quartered
-4 baby new potatoes, quartered
-Olive oil and sea salt for sprinkling

Frittata mix
-6 eggs
-1 cup (8 fl oz) cream (I used evaporated milk)
-1/2 cup grated aged cheddar or parmesan cheese
-2 tablespoons shredded basil
-Cracked black pepper

Preheat the oven to 180C (350F). Place the sweet potato or pumpkin, bell pepper, zucchini and potatoes on a baking tray lined with non-stick baking paper. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt. Bake for 40 minutes or until soft and golden.

Place the vegetables in a 20cm (8 in) non-stick frying pan. To make the frittata, whisk together the eggs, cream, cheese, basil and pepper. Pour over the vegetables in the frying pan and cook over low heat for 8-10 minutes or until the frittata begins to set.

Place the frittata under a preheated hot grill (broiler) and cook for 2 minutes or until golden. Allow to stand for 5 minutes before slicing into thick wedges. Serve immediately with a simple salad or toast. Serves 4-6.

Other combinations of cooked vegetables can be used to make frittata - char-grilled eggplant and mushrooms work really well. You can also use leftover roast vegetables and add ingredients such as chopped cooked chicken, drained canned tuna, other kinds of hard cheese and fresh herbs.