When Stephanie Weidner Lipsey, market manager of the Fayetteville Farmers Market, asked me to go on "Bridge Street Live" (News Channel 9 - WSYR TV) with her to help promote the market -- and make a dish using ingredients from the market -- the answer was a no-brainer.
Sure! Why not?
The Fayetteville Farmers Market, now in its second year, is a good one, with nearly 40 vendors (no re-sellers) offering a diverse range of goods. In addition to in-season, local produce, the market has vendors offering meats, cheeses, eggs, yogurt, milk, honey, maple syrup, jams and jellies, salsa, pesto, bread, cookies, cakes and other baked goods, chocolate/confections, coffee -- everything you need, or could want, to make a meal.
I knew I didn't want to make something on camera and started thinking about something I could make ahead and take to the studio. Jam or jelly? No. Too fussy. Fruit crisp or cobbler? Maybe. Make-ahead frittata? Yes!
I met Stephanie at the market last Thursday, July 2, armed with a short shopping list for the recipe: new potatoes, onions or scallions, bacon or ham, red pepper, green and yellow squash, eggs and cheddar-style cheese. Everything was available except red pepper -- not yet in season -- so we grabbed a couple greenhouse-grown tomatoes (as well as a pound of new potatoes) from Stone's Farm and Greenhouses, Canastota, for color and to use as a garnish.
Mosher Farms, Bouckville, supplied the summer squashes, Hartwood Farm (Chittenango) had scallions and WW Longhorn Ranch, Bernhards Bay, came through with eggs. Any of the farmstead cheeses from Stoltzfus Family Dairy (Vernon Center) would work in the frittata, but we agreed the tomato-basil cheese would work best. The bacon in the frittata (and sausage served on the side) came from Drover Hill Farm, Earlville -- owned and operated by Stephanie and her husband, William Lipsey. They're known for their pasture-rasied beef, lamb, pork and chicken.
Earlier in the season, I might make the fritatta with spinach and ham. Later in the season, I might make it with heirloom tomatoes from Mountain Grown Farm, Jamesville. It's easy and adaptable. Give it a try!
Fayetteville Farmers Market Frittata
As featured on "Bridge Street" (July 7)
Olive oil for pan
4 slices bacon, cooked, blotted and crumbled (optional)
3/4 pound small new potatoes, sliced thin
2 bunches scallions, white part only, sliced (save some of the green tops for garnish)
2 small zucchini or yellow squash (or a combination), diced
9 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
4 ounces (1 cup) Cheddar- or Swiss-type cheese, grated
Sliced tomato, for garnish
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Coat a 9-inch glass pie plate lightly with oil.
Heat a small amount of oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add bacon and cook until brown. Remove bacon from pan, blot on paper towels and crumble. Drain grease from pan, leaving enough to cook scallions and potatoes. Return pan to medium heat. Cook potatoes and onions, tossing occasionally, until potatoes are tender, about 15-17 minutes. Remove potatoes and onions from pan and spread evenly on bottom of pie plate. Sprinkle the cooked bacon over the potatoes. Add a little more olive oil to the pan and cook squash over medium heat until crisp-tender.
Spoon squash over potato-onion base in pie plate. Add the grated cheese.
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, salt and pepper. Pour over all. Bake until eggs are set, about 15-17 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool slightly before serving. Makes 6 servings.
Serve the frittata with green salad and crusty bread.
To serve with the frittata, Stephanie brought gluten-free bread from The Cookie Connection (Syracuse), croissants and pastries from Alambria Springs Farm, Earlville, and meadow butter from Kriemhild Dairy Farms, Hamilton, to the "Bridge Street" studio.
The Fayetteville Farmers Market runs noon to 6 p.m. Thursdays, through Oct. 15, at Towne Center at Fayetteville (enter from Burdick Street). Information: WEBSITE FACEBOOK
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