The Egg Mistake To Avoid For Better Frittatas, According To Alice Waters

Chef Alice Waters has some strong opinions about eggs. Just consider how her preference to use egg spoons stirred a huge controversy that resulted from her appearance on "60 Minutes," which people were still debating nearly a decade after the show aired. The chef's recommendation for building a better frittata is not likely to be as contentious, but it could vastly improve the outcome of the popular breakfast and brunch dish.

Waters recommends adding salt to eggs right before they hit the frying pan to improve the texture of the finished frittata. If you add salt too early and allow the seasoning to linger in the bowl while you work on the other ingredients, you could end up with a thinner texture. By following her tip, the chef claims that you'll achieve the ideal fluffy texture in your frittata. Fluffy eggs are the perfect vehicle for additional frittata ingredients, and Waters also offers some helpful suggestions on how to prepare them.

Frittatas are quick and easy recipes that can include a diverse range of ingredients, such as bacon, chorizo, mushrooms, artichokes, and onions. While it's best to only add a few additional items to ensure the eggs achieve the proper doneness, Waters suggests cooking the vegetables before adding them to the eggs. Vegetables typically contain lots of moisture and this water can lead to an unwanted texture in the eggs. Sautéing mushrooms and other additions will allow some of this moisture to evaporate.

While the tip is not necessarily relegated to frittatas alone, Waters is also a huge fan of using seasonally available ingredients in her recipes. Buying vegetables when they're in season can result in a fresher taste and higher quality. As for the seasonality of specific veggies, spring is the perfect time to enjoy kale, mushrooms, asparagus, and onions. As for summer, bell peppers, zucchini, tomatoes, and cucumbers will achieve peak deliciousness. Fall selections include radishes and winter squash, while winter is prime time for Swiss chard and sweet potatoes.

Waters is in good company when it comes to her frittata tip, as Gordon Ramsay also advocates waiting to salt scrambled eggs. The celebrity chef takes Waters' suggestion a step further by encouraging home chefs to add salt after cooking to ensure the perfect texture. Ramsay cautions that adding the seasoning to uncooked eggs will lead to a runnier texture, as the salt will impact the bonds within the raw egg mixture. However, not all chefs are on the same page when it comes to this common cooking tip.

According to J. Kenji López-Al, salt should be incorporated into raw eggs about 15 minutes before cooking to achieve two essential benefits. The chef claims that early seasoning results in a better flavor, as it allows time for the salt to completely integrate with the egg mixture. Also, salting the raw mixture prevents eggs from becoming tough and rubbery. You can create an even creamier texture by mixing cream cheese with scrambled eggs, regardless of which salting technique you choose. 

While there's no definitive answer as to when you should salt eggs for a frittata, heeding the advice of an accomplished chef like Waters is bound to benefit you in the kitchen.