Recipe: Grilled vegetable and pesto frittata

This grilled vegetable and pesto frittata highlights the versatility of the mighty frittata when it comes to ingredients, eating occasion and cooking technique.

I made the entire recipe in a Weber gas BBQ and a BBQ pan, but you can use an oven and oven-safe pan or baking dish instead.

While this frittata takes more time to make than the ones that use uncooked or pre-cooked vegetables, the result is definitely worth it, in particular if you enjoy Mediterranean flavours. Having said that, you can cook the vegetables in advance or use leftover vegetables from another meal. You can also use store-bought pesto but I have not found any that uses extra virgin olive oil as the only fat. Please let me know in the comments if you know of any brands available in Australia.

This recipe is gluten-free and vegetarian. It can be made dairy-free/vegan if you substitute the feta for a plant-based one and the Pecorino/Parmesan for nutritional yeast.

Serve this frittata with a light salad and/or a piece of toast. You can keep leftovers for a 3-5 days in the fridge and reheat as needed any time of the day.

Grilled vegetable and pesto frittata

This grilled vegetable and pesto frittata highlights the versatility of the mighty frittata when it comes to ingredients, eating occasion and cooking technique.

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Total Time 2 hours hrs

Course Breakfast, Brunch

Cuisine Mediterranean, Modern Australian

Servings 4

Equipment

• BBQ/grill or oven
• food processor or mortar and pestle

Ingredients

  

• 1 large eggplant
• 2 medium red capsicums
• extra virgin olive oil spray or liquid
• 8 large eggs
• 200 g feta cheese goat's recommended
• salt and pepper

Pesto

• 1 small handful of basil leaves
• 2 tbsp pine nuts
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp grated Pecorino or Parmesan
• 1 garlic clove chopped
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• pinch of salt and pepper

Instructions

 

• Make a brine by dissolving 1 tablespoon of cooking salt in 4 cups of warm water and let cool down.
• Slice eggplant in discs and soak in the brine for 30-60 minutes.
• While you wait, heat up your BBQ.
• Make pesto with basil, pine nuts, extra virgin olive oil, grated cheese, garlic and lemon juice. You can use a food processor or a mortar and pestle. Season to taste.
• Drain eggplant and dry with paper towels.
• Spray eggplant with extra virgin olive oil spray (or brush with extra virgin olive oil) on both sides and place on the grill grates. Place capsicums directly on the grill grates. Close the lid.
• Turn eggplant and capsicum after 5 minutes.
• Remove eggplant after another 5 minutes (i.e. after grilled on both sides), turn capsicums every 5 minutes until the skin should be black on all sides (this should take about 15 minutes).
• When capsicum is ready, place in a bowl and cover with cling wrap (the steam will help loosen up the skin).
• Lower BBQ heat to the lowest setting.
• Cut eggplant discs in bite-sized pieces.
• Remove the cling wrap from the capsicum bowl and carefully peel the skin with your hands. Transfer to a chopping board, use a knife to remove stem, membranes and seeds, chop coarsely.
• Whisk eggs in a bowl. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
• Spray BBQ pan with extra virgin olive oil. Pour eggs, add vegetables, top with crumbled feta. Drizzle 1/2 of the pesto on top.
• Place pan in the BBQ and cook with the lid closed until eggs are fully set, about 20 minutes.
• Turn off BBQ, remove pan. Let sit for a minute before slicing.
• Serve with an extra drizzle of pesto, a side salad and a piece of toast if you want.

Keyword bbq, capsicum, eggplant, eggs, frittata, gluten free, grill, keto, low carb, pesto

To see more frittata-adjacent recipes check out the links below:

• Crustless morcilla & kale quiche
• Sweet potato frittata with kale and feta
• Spinach and tomato frittata
• Asparagus and feta frittata
• Chorizo frittata
• Crustless smoked trout quiche
• Crustless sausage & spinach quiche
• Crustless bacon & zucchini quiche
• Crustless ham, mushroom & spinach quiche

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