When asparagus is in season in springtime, use it to capture the flavors of the garden with a minimal amount of effort. It cooks quickly by any method—steaming, boiling, grilling, or sautéing, as here—and it’s very easy to prepare. To trim asparagus of its woody stem end, simply hold one end of the spear in one hand, the other end in the other hand, and bend gently until the spear snaps—which it will do exactly where the stem starts to get woody. Asparagus has its own built-in sous chef.

Ingredients

　　6 large eggs

　　2 tablespoons whipping cream

　　1/2 teaspoon salt

　　1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

　　1 tablespoon olive oil

　　1 tablespoon butter

　　12 ounces asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

　　1 tomato, seeded and diced

　　3 ounces fontina cheese, cubed

　　Preheat the broiler. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, cream, salt, and pepper to blend. Set aside. In a 9 1/2-inch-diameter nonstick ovenproof skillet, heat the oil and butter over a medium flame. Add the asparagus and sauté until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Add the tomato and sauté 2 minutes longer. Pour the egg mixture over the asparagus mixture and sprinkle the cheese over. Cover and cook over medium-low heat until the frittata is almost set but the top is still runny, about 2 minutes. Place the skillet under the broiler and broil until the top is set and golden brown, about 4 minutes. Let the frittata stand for 2 minutes. Using a rubber spatula, loosen the frittata from the skillet and slide the frittata onto a plate. Cut the frittata into wedges and serve.

　　Reprinted with permission from Everyday Italian: 125 Simple and Delicious Recipes by Martha Stewart Living Magazine. Copyright © 2005 by Giada De Laurentiis. Published by Crown Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved.Giada De Laurentiis is the star of Food Network's Everyday Italian and Behind the Bash. She attended the Cordon Bleu in Paris, and then worked in a variety of Los Angeles restaurants, including Wolfgang Puck's Spago, before starting her own catering and private-chef company, GDL Foods. The granddaughter of movie producer Dino De Laurentiis, Giada was born in Rome and grew up in Los Angeles, where she now lives.