Norman Zucchini Frittata — Testing

1 - I'm adapting the Parsi Omlate to French flavours because it's such a lovely and frankly impressive dish that, heck, why not?!? And what a way to use up zucchini. The courgettes seem to create a Zucchini-Loaf-like effect without any flour.

2 - This is the first time I actually make it, and it was good. The gray shallots continue to be a bitch to prepare, but now I have a better idea of how to do it more easily - soak them in boiling water to peel. It takes forever though because they're small but I think the flavour is good. As for the actual dish, it's very flavourful but I feel like there is no star. The chèvre is good in it but it melts into the surrounding flavours instead of standing out for bright pops. It either needs a star ingredient or needs to be accompanied with something. Think think think my sweet little pooh bear. OH, I just realized I grated the apple, I didn't dice it!!! And a tart apple might just do the trick.

1 lb zucchini, grated

3⁄4 + 1 tsp salt

150 g Griselle shallots, finely chopped

1 medium potato, diced 1/4 inch pieces (8 oz)

OPTIONAL 100 g firm tart apple, diced 1/4 inch pieces (TO TRY grated and added with zucchini)

30 g butter + more for greasing the plate

1 + 1 Tbsp light oil

1 tsp fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped

9 eggs

50–60 g crème fraîche, optional

1⁄4 tsp ground nutmeg

ground black pepper

1⁄4 tsp baking powder

120–150 g chèvre, crumbled

1. Grate the zucchini and mix with 3/4 tsp of the salt. Leave in a colander for 30 minutes, then squeeze all the liquid out.
2. Meanwhile, chop and measure out the remaining ingredients - it makes the rest much easier: prepare the shallots, potato and optional apple; measure out the thyme and nutmeg; crumble the chèvre; break the eggs into a bowl; and measure out the salt and baking powder.
3. Heat the butter and oil in a 10-inch frying pan over medium-low heat.
4. Fry the shallots and potato until the shallots are soft and the potatoes become just tender. 
5. If using the apple, add it for the last 3–4 minutes of cooking. Do not brown heavily.
6. Add the squeezed zucchini and thyme. Cook until the zucchini is hot and any remaining moisture has cooked away. 
7. Season with the remaining salt, nutmeg, and a generous amount of black pepper. Set aside.
8. Whisk the eggs until frothy. 
9. Whisk in the crème fraîche, if using. 
10. Add the cooled vegetables and half the chèvre.
11. Wipe the frying pan clean and add a little oil. When hot, reduce the temperature to medium-low and pour in the egg mixture. 
12. The cake is very thick and will cook from the edges in, so it's important to cover the pan and cook at a low temperature for a minimum of 15–20 minutes, or until the centre becomes semi-solid.
13. Meanwhile, lightly grease a dinner plate with a bit of butter for the next step.
14. When the bottom of the pancake is brown, make sure it's loose from the pan. The centre should be soft but not pure liquid. 
15. Upturn the plate on top of the pancake, hold the plate firmly in place with your hand, grab the handle of the pan and flip the pancake onto the plate. It should just drop onto the plate. Remove the pan. Set aside for a moment.
16. Set the pan back on the stove-top, add the remaining Tbsp of oil and slide the pancake back into the pan. Cook the second side for about 5 minutes to get another nice brown crust and finish cooking the middle. 
17. Crumble the remaining chèvre over the top before serving. Can be served warm or at room temperature.