We’re often told that breakfast is the most important meal – I’m a complete believer of this notion. What I don’t believe in is the idea that, with our busy lives, we have the time each morning to make breakfast from scratch. With that in mind, I often make crust-less frittatas on a Sunday to last me through the week and I’m always looking for fun variations. This week’s Frittatas special ingredient – Speck Alto Adige PGI.

Speck Alto Adige PGI is a cured and smoked Italian ham from Northern Italy’s Alto Adige region. The ham is similar to Prosciutto in appearance and alike to slab bacon in flavor – an outstanding, very versatile product. A few weeks back, the fine folks at Speck Alto Adige PGI contacted me about creating a recipe using their ham and I gladly accepted. I’m officially the November ‘Speckulator’ as named by Speck Alto Adige PGI! Here’s the recipe I created using the top-quality ham I received from Speck Alto Adige PGI. These are GREAT to have on hand during the holidays!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Speck Alto Adige PGI, cubed or julienned
• 12 large eggs (one egg per Frittata)
• ¼ cup water
• ½ tsp. each salt, pepper and smoked paprika
• 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Generously coat a 12-muffin pan with cooking spray.
• In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, sauté the speck until slightly caramelized, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat, set aside and allow to cool.
• In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs with the water, salt, pepper and paprika until fully blended, about 1 minute.
• Divide the speck and the cheese among the 12 muffin cups.
• Pour an equal amount of the egg mixture into the muffin cups over the speck and cheese.
• Place the muffin pan on a sheet tray, to catch any drips, and bake for about 20 minutes, or until the egg is set.
• Let the Frittatas cool in the pan for about 5 minutes then unmold and allow to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

To reheat, place two Frittatas on a plate, cover with a paper towel and microwave for 60-90 seconds. I like to top the Frittatas with a little green salsa. Makes 6 servings (2 Frittatas each). For more information about Speck Alto Adige PGI, for recipes and for where to buy the ham, visit http://www.speck.it.   Cheers, Veronique