It’s very nearly July. Like, in two days it’s going to be July and in my head, that is really, officially, truuuly Summer…
And yet. AND YET.
I scheduled a weekend to create this recipe and take beautiful Summer photos of it. I was going to take it to Clapham Common with a tartan blanket and some bottles of cider and it was going to be delicious and Summery and beautiful.
And I would have got away with it too… if it weren’t for the meddling London weather.
I rescheduled this shoot TWICE. And both times had to give up the idea because OH WHAT A JOYOUS JUNE IT HAS BEEN. Full of torrential rain and grey skies and bad lighting and damp grass.
So instead, Gary and I ended up eating this on the damp picnic bench outside our flat. And then it started drizzling so we went back inside and watched Game of Thrones instead.
Sigh. Welcome to summer in England my friends…
On the bright side: this is probably my favourite Bramley apple recipe so far. I’ve created three other recipes this year using this amazingly versatile fruit and it’s been an absolute blast putting my creativity to work with it.
I’ve tried hard to put together quirky, original recipes that are cheap and easy to prepare, but a little bit different from the usual fare. And I’m really happy with how they’ve all turned out!
I feel like I’ve also learned a lot about my style of cooking, as well as a few tricks on how to balance flavours and mix textures.
For my first recipe, the Pork and Bramley Apple Crumble, I had to make it a couple of times before I got the amounts right to make it taste good. But once I got it right, I got it RIGHT.
The Mulled Wine Apple Cake was born out my love of Christmas, cake and, well… wine.
My latest recipe was the Baked Bramley Apples with Chorizo and Goats Cheese and I’ve actually cooked this three times since because it’s YUM. And it involves chorizo. So yeah.
And now this. The Bramley Apple and Bacon Frittata.
I’m not going to lie, this started out in my head as a quiche.
Then I decided that a) I couldn’t be bothered to make pastry and b) who needs pastry anyway? So it became a frittata. And a bloody good one too, if I do say so myself!
The higher fruit acid content of Bramley apples gives them a tangier taste, and the melt-in-the-mouth apple pieces are perfectly balanced with chunks of salty pancetta. Add some fried onions, a sprinkling of herbs, a cheesy egg mixture, and get ready for some yummy belly fun.
It’s almost like a Spanish tortilla (of sorts), but with apple instead of potato!
BRAMLEY APPLE AND BACON FRITTATA
Serves: 4 | Prep Time: 20 mins | Cooking time: 30 mins
INGREDIENTS:
3 Bramley apples
1 onion
1 tbsp oil (I used olive)
200g of cubed pancetta
8 eggs
Generous handful of grated mature cheddar cheese
1 tbsp sage
1 tbsp thyme
2 tbsp milk
METHOD:
1. Chop your apples into small, bite size pieces. You can peel them if you want to, but I didn’t bother. Peel and finely chop your onion.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large, deep frying pan, on a medium heat. You need a pan that’s deep enough to fit all your chopped apples, and preferably one that you can put under the grill without the handle melting. Add the onion and stir for a few minutes, then add your pancetta. Keep stirring, and cook until the onions are soft and translucent, and the pancetta is starting to crisp.
3. Scoop your bacon and onions on to a plate covered with some kitchen roll, and leave to one side to drain. Put all your apples into the oily pan, and cook on a medium heat. Sprinkle with the sage and thyme, and season generously with salt and pepper. Cook until the apples are soft, but still retain their shape. Add the bacon and onions back into the pan.
4. Break your 8 eggs into a bowl, add the milk and cheese, season, and then beat the mixture together. Pour the eggs over the apple and bacon, and lower the heat under the pan. Turn the grill on to about 150 degrees Celsius.
5. Let it cook very slowly, and use a spatula to gently ease away the edges of the eggs from the side of the pan.
6. When it starts to look set on the bottom and edges, but the top is still gooey (this should take about 10-15 minutes), stick it under the grill. Let it cook under the grill until the top is set and starting to look golden and toasted.
7. Now, to get it OUT of the pan you have two choices: A) cut it into slices in the pan, and scoop out each individual slice; or B) let the pan cool down completely, then cover it with a plate, and do a quick flip so that the frittata is now on the plate. (Of course you will then discover that your pretty topside is now on the bottom of the plate, so then you have to flip it over AGAIN on to ANOTHER plate…)
8. Best served cold, with a simply dressed green salad and a glass of fruity apple cider. And preferably some sunshine.
I hope you’ve all enjoyed my year of Bramley apple recipes!
If you want to find out more information, or just want to check out the recipes by other bloggers, head over to their website. You can also visit their Facebook page, follow them on Instagram, or have a look at the #LoveBramley hashtag on Twitter.
Let me know if you try making any of the recipes as well! I’d love to know your thoughts, see your photos and hear if there’s anything you think could be improved on my inventions.
Happy eating!
*This post is sponsored by the Bramley campaign.
