I really liked the egg, rapini, pancetta combination of the savory pudding I made a few weeks ago but don’t often have the right kind of bread on hand. This frittata delivers the same flavors to the taste buds without the extra trip to the bakery.

Sun Oven Frittata with Rapini and Pancetta

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 bunch rapini, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

8 eggs, at room temperature

1 tablespoon milk

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

salt and pepper to taste

8 thin pancetta slices

Preparation

Set Sun Oven out to preheat. Coat a shallow pot, skillet, or pie tin with cooking spray, set aside.

Heat the oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat.

Add the garlic and red pepper and sauté briefly, about 30 seconds.

Add the rapini, season with salt, cover and cook until wilted, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs with the milk, cheese, salt and pepper. Stir in the cooled rapini.

Pour the mixture into the prepared pan, cover and transfer to the Sun Oven.

Cook until the pancetta is cooked and the eggs are set, 35 to 45 minutes.

Use a spatula to carefully loosen the frittata from the pan. Transfer to serving plate and cut into wedges. Serve warm or at room temperature.

It’s a shame to let any of those Easter eggs go to waste but if you’re like me there’s a limit to how much egg salad you can eat. Luckily, solar roasted asparagus is delicious with crumbled hard boiled eggs and vinaigrette.

Sun Oven Asparagus with Egg and Vinaigrette

Ingredients

1 hard boiled egg, chopped

1 pound asparagus, tough ends trimmed

salt

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

Set Sun Oven out to preheat.

Arrange the asparagus in baking dish in a single layer. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the oil, sprinkle with salt, cover, and cook in the Sun Oven until soft, 45 minutes to 1 hour.

In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, lemon juice, salt, mustard, and pepper. Just before serving, drizzle the vinaigrette over the cooked asparagus and top with the chopped egg.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Rapini, also known as broccoli rabe, has a slightly bitter taste that pairs perfectly with pancetta. If you can’t find it, or don’t like it, use regular broccoli instead.

Sun Oven Savory Italian-style Bread Pudding

(adapted for the Sun Oven from Bon Appétit)

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 bunch rapini, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

6 large eggs, at room temperature

1 1/2 cups whole milk, at room temperature

8 cups county-style white bread, cut into 1-inch pieces

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for sprinkling

6 thin slices pancetta (Italian bacon)

salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

Set Sun Oven out to preheat. Spray a baking dish with cooking spray, set aside.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper, stirring until the garlic is soft but not browned, about 30 seconds. Add the rapini; season with salt and pepper. Cook, tossing often, until wilted, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk. Season with salt and pepper. Add the cooled rapini, 1/2 cup Parmesan, bread, salt and pepper and toss to combine. Transfer to the prepared baking pan. Top with additional Parmesan and the pancetta. Bake in the Sun Oven until set in the middle, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Makes 6 servings

This colorful frittata can be cut into bite sized pieces and served as an appetizer. If you prefer uniform squares, bake it in a rectangular baking dish instead of a cast iron skillet.

Sun Oven Tri-Color Frittata

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 onion, thinly sliced

2 zucchini, cut into matchsticks

1 orange bell pepper, cut into thin strips

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

8 eggs, at room temperature

2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh mint

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation

Set Sun Oven out to preheat.

Heat the oil in a 10-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes. Increase the heat to medium-high and stir in the zucchini, bell pepper, salt, and pepper.

Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are softened, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs well. Whisk in the mint and cheese. Stir the cooled vegetables into the egg mixture. Wipe the skillet clean with paper towels and spray with cooking spray. Pour the egg and vegetable mixture into the skillet, cover and transfer to the Sun Oven.

Cook until set, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Serves 4 to 6.

We liked the pumpkin frittata sandwiches I made a few weeks ago so much that I came up with a variation. This time I baked it in a rectangular baking pan to make it easier to cut into sandwich bread sized pieces.

Sun Oven Mashed Potato and Ham Frittata

Ingredients

6 eggs, room temperature

1 1/2 cups leftover mashed potatoes

1 1/2 cups steamed kale or other leafy greens, excess water squeezed out and chopped

4 ounces ham, chopped

2 ounces Swiss cheese, shredded

salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

Set Sun Oven out to preheat. Spray a metal baking pan with cooking spray, set aside.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs. Beat in the mashed potatoes until well blended. Stir in the greens, the chopped ham, and the cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking pan. Cover and cook in the Sun Oven until set, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove the lid and continue cooking in the Sun Oven until lightly browned, about 10 more minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

It’s October and pumpkin is popping up everywhere – including my Sun Oven. This fall flavored frittata served with a tossed salad makes a nice light lunch.

Sun Oven Pumpkin Frittata

Ingredients

4 bacon strips

4 eggs

1 cup canned pumpkin

1 cup steamed leafy greens (swiss chard, kale, or spinach), excess water squeezed out

2 ounces sharp white cheddar cheese, shredded

salt and pepper

Preparation

Set Sun Oven out to preheat. Spray a dark pie pan or cake pan with cooking spray, set aside.

Place a rack over a rimmed toaster oven sized baking sheet. Arrange the bacon strips in a single layer on the rack. Cook the bacon in the Sun Oven until browned, about 30 minutes. Leave the Sun Oven out. Let the bacon cool slightly then chop into 1/2-inch pieces. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs. Beat in the pumpkin until well blended. Stir in the greens, the chopped bacon, and the cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour the mixture into the prepared pie pan. Cover and cook in the Sun Oven until set, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove the lid and continue cooking in the Sun Oven until evenly browned, about 10 more minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Makes 2 to 4 servings.

While it is possible to use the Sun Oven to make a decent risotto, click here to see how, it still needs to be served immediately. Which means either having it for lunch or a really early dinner. For this reason I usually prepare risotto the old-fashioned way – on the stovetop. But, even if risotto is at its best fresh off the burner, that doesn’t mean any leftovers should go to waste. Mix it with a couple of eggs to make a solar baked frittata.

Sun Oven Risotto Fritatta

Ingredients

2 large eggs

Leftover risotto, about 2 cups

salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

Set Sun Oven out to preheat. Coat a light-weight, dark pot with cooking spray.

Beat eggs in a medium bowl. Stir in the risotto. Season with salt and pepper. Spread rice mixture out in the prepared pan, cover and cook in the Sun Oven until the eggs are set and the frittata is starting to brown around the edges, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Makes 4 servings

Sun Oven baked eggs alway make a great lunch. The possible combinations are endless. Today I used onions as edible egg rings. I didn’t bother cooking the onion rings before setting them on a baking sheet and filling them with some fresh spinach and eggs. Next time I’ll probably use a skillet and sauté the onions in a little oil first for a little more flavor. Either way, it sure is nice to have such a pretty lunch without any extra stuff to clean up. If you remember to bring your eggs to room temperature before baking them in the Sun Oven they’ll be ready in 20 minutes.

Chickpeas and spices give this frittata an Indian twist.

Indian Spiced Frittata

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 small onion, thinly sliced

1 teaspoon fennel seeds

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 cup Swiss chard leaves, chopped

1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas or 1 (9 ounce can) drained

1 cup frozen peas, thawed

8 eggs

salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

Set Sun Oven out to preheat.

Combine the oil and onions in a 10-inch cast iron skillet. Put skillet, uncovered, in the Sun Oven and sauté until the onions are soft. Stir in fennel seeds, red pepper, and chopped Swiss chard. Cover the skillet with a lid and cook chard until wilted. Remove skillet from the Sun Oven and let cool slightly. In a large bowl, beat the eggs, stir in chickpeas and peas. Season with salt and pepper. Pour egg mixture into the skillet with the onions and chard. Cover with a lid and cook in the Sun Oven until set, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Cut into wedges and serve hot, cold, or at room temperature.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

This base recipe can be spruced up with just about anything; fresh herbs, vegetables, ham, bacon, etc. Use whatever you have on hand. Serve it warm with a salad and some good bread or use it to make sandwiches for a packed lunch.

Sun Oven Frittata with Onions

4 medium onions, thinly sliced (about 4 cups)

2 tablespoons olive oil

salt

5 eggs, at room temperature

2/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon butter

Preparation

Set Sun Oven out to preheat.

In an oven safe skillet combine the oil and onions with a dash of salt, cover and cook in the Sun Oven until the onions are soft and starting to brown, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Leave the Sun Oven out.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer the onions to a small bowl; let cool. Wipe excess oil from the skillet. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, beat the eggs. Stir in the onions, Parmesan, and salt and pepper to taste. Melt the butter in the skillet, add the egg mixture, cover and transfer to the Sun Oven. Bake until the frittata is set, 30 to 45 minutes.

Using a spatula, loosen the frittata and slide it onto a plate. Serve hot, warm, or at good temperature.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.