Active Time

　　30 minutes

　　Total Time

　　1 hour 40 minutes

　　The beauty of oven omelets and frittatas is that they need no crust (unlike a quiche). Fortunately, the slow cooker does this job well—the eggs stay moist and tender thanks to the steady, low temperature. Be ready to serve and eat the frittata as soon as it is done cooking; for the best texture and flavor, do not let it stand on keep warm. The frittata needs maximum surface area to cook, so it works best in a large oval slow cooker. Serve with fried potatoes, or fruit salad and ciabatta toast.

　　

Ingredients

Serves 6

　　3 tablespoons olive oil

　　2 medium-size shallots, chopped

　　8 ounces asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces on the diagonal

　　1 medium-size zucchini, sliced 1/2-inch thick

　　12 large eggs

　　1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

　　1/4 cup chopped fresh basil or flat-leaf parsley leaves

　　Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

　　

Special Equipment

5-7-qt. oval slow-cooker

　　

Step 1

In a medium-size skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat and add the shallots, asparagus, and zucchini. Cook for a few minutes, just so the asparagus begins to be tender and the zucchini browns a bit. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool for 10 minutes. Coat the bottom and 2 inches up the sides of the slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray. Transfer the cooled vegetables to the crock.

　　

Step 2

In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the eggs, Parmesan, and basil. Add some salt and a few turns of black pepper. Pour into the crock and stir to mix with the vegetables. Cover and cook on high for 60 to 70 minutes, until the frittata is set and the tip of a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Do not overcook or else the eggs will become too firm. Cut into 4 sections and lift out with a spatula to plates. Serve immediately.

　　

Variations

Step 3

Substitute the asparagus with 1 (10-ounce) package defrosted frozen artichoke hearts, thawed and coarsely chopped, plus 1 cup frozen peas, thawed.

　　

Step 4

Substitute the asparagus with 1/2 pound broccoli florets, chopped into bite-size pieces (about 2 cups).

　　

Step 5

On top of the vegetables, make a layer of 1 to 2 cups diced ham, or 8 slices cooked center-cut bacon, crumbled, or 8 slices Canadian bacon, or 6 thin slices prosciutto, chopped.

　　

Step 6

Add a top layer of thinly sliced mozzarella, fontina, white American, or provolone cheese.

　　Reprinted from Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Cookbook with permission by The Harvard Common Press. Copyright © 2016 by Beth Hensperger and Julie Kaufmann.Buy the full book from Amazon.