One potato, two potato, three potato, four

If there's one thing we have lots of in our house, it's potatoes. They're everywhere: lurking in the closet, the cupboard, the fridge, the basement. I don't know what possessed me to purchase three bushels last autumn. Whatever it was, I am paying for it now, dearly. As I've mentioned before, they're growing feelers (at least the red ones are), and so, in the interest of eating them before they turn to compost, I'm getting creative. Currently in our fridge there are no less than four different potato-related items: roasted potato wedges, potato salad, potato bread, and, of course, the leftovers of this frittata. The menu is seasonally appropriate, at least.

This frittata has proved the tastiest way yet to use them up. It's fancy enough for a fancy brunch, but just as good for dinner with a big old salad. I love the way the potatoes soak up the eggs, making each bite starchy and tender. And the green olives make everything pretty.

Potato Frittata with Green Olives

4 medium red-skinned potatoes

Throw these in your microwave (or into your oven) and bake until done. Peel the skins off the potatoes. Using a masher (or a big spoon) break the potatoes into bite-size chunks.

Add to the bowl:

1/2 cup sliced green olives
1/2 cup finely sliced scallions (about four)
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper, or more to taste
3/4 cup grated sharp cheddar
6 eggs, lightly beaten

Stir these things together with the potatoes until everything is nicely coated with egg.

Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a cast iron or non-stick skillet, preferably 10 inches in diameter. Once the oil is hot, dump in the egg mixture. Let it cook ten minutes without stirring, long enough for the bottom to cook. Give it a good stir once, turning uncooked bits over onto the hot pan. Let it cook another 5-10 minutes without stirring. At this point, the whole mass should hold together into one eggy disk. Take your flipper and loosen the edges. Now, take a big plate and invert it over your pan. Holding the pan and the plate together, flip them over. If you're lucky, your frittata will now be sitting on the plate, cooked-side up. If you're not lucky, you'll have scrambled eggs with potatoes and green olives, and it will taste just as good.

But assuming you are lucky. Slide the frittata back into the pan, uncooked-side-down. Give it another ten minutes. You can either flip it back onto the plate to serve (which is, admittedly chancing fate), or you can just serve it in the pan.

Enjoy!