Frittatine Trippate: When You Don’t Have Offal

Eggs and tomato are a classic, rustic combination in the cucina povera, the peasant cooking, of Tuscany. In a way, you could think of this even as a variation on the uova al pomodoro (eggs poached in tomato sauce) recipe I posted a couple of weeks ago. They’re both essential, simple, comforting dishes that are quick and thrifty to make – hallmarks of a good cucina povera dish!

The name of this dish is a little bit misleading for those who understand Italian and know that trippa means tripe. There is actually no offal or meat at all in this. Frittatine trippate are basically strips of thin egg frittata, served in a tomato sauce. The frittata, however, is not a regular frittata. It’s made into a sort of batter with the addition of egg and a little flour, the result is somewhere between a thin frittata and a thick crepe. Cut into strips and served with a quick tomato sauce, the fritattine become quite like a replacement for egg tagliatelle or other fresh pasta, only they take literally just a few minutes to make.

Although this is not a dish that you see on even the most rustic trattoria menu (it’s more likely found in a countryside kitchen), it is still cited in many cookbooks as a typical Florentine dish, perhaps because it is named after one of Florence’s most beloved dishes, Trippa alla Fiorentina – Florentine style tripe. A simple dish that the Florentines pride themselves on, the tripe is cut into thin strips and served with a rich tomato sauce and a sprinkling of Parmesan or Pecorino cheese.

Frittatine Trippate may have taken their name from Florence’s favourite dish because of the appearance and ingredients used or because during particularly rough times when even tripe was too expensive to buy, eggs and tomato were readily available items that could be provided by the backyard or farm, especially in the summer when tomatoes were abundant. In fact, you could probably be much more generous with the tomato sauce than what you see in my photographs. All that extra leftover sauce in your bowl after you’ve finished the frittatine are perfect mopped up with bread (that wonderful ritual of la scarpetta), filling up hungry bellies even more.

As with any simple dish, try to use the best ingredients you can find: fresh, organic eggs (the ones I used were from an elderly Italian lady’s backyard chickens, I have never seen brighter eggs!) and if you have it, homemade tomato conserva or passata and real Parmesan cheese. Failing that, use what you have on hand! This is one of those dishes that you should be able to whip up on a quiet night in or for a quick lunch with some kitchen staples.

Frittatine Trippate
Tripe-style frittata

For 2 serves

  • 4 organic eggs
  • 200 ml milk
  • 80 gr flour
  • 1 tin of peeled or chopped tomatoes
  • 1 clove of garlic
  • salt & pepper
  • A handful or more of freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • Extra virgin olive oil

In a bowl, whisk the eggs, milk and flour to make a smooth batter. Make the frittatine more or less as you would crepes, pouring a ladle-ful of batter into a non-stick pan greased with some olive oil and on a gentle heat. You don’t want them to colour too much, just cook them on one side until the tops look dry, no need to flip them over. Transfer the crepes to a plate as you make them.

Now make a quick tomato sauce by gently heating a smashed (but otherwise whole) clove of garlic in some olive oil. After allowing the olive oil to infuse and the garlic to colour just slightly, add the tomatoes and a splash of water and let reduce a little a bit. If you’re using whole tomatoes, squash them down with the back of your spoon. Season with salt and pepper.

Going back to the frittatine, roll them up together and slice them into strips, about 1cm wide. Add them to the sauce, toss and allow to warm through. Serve immediately with some freshly grated Parmesan or Pecorino cheese.

Comments

  1. Jesse says:

    It’s “offal” that we don’t have offal in our house…but we always have eggs!

    Thanks for the recipe!

  2. This looks more filling than a bowl full of pasta, and strikes me as something that would be good to make after returning from a long trip. A belly full of frittatine trippate and a good night’s sleep in your own bed.

    • Emiko says:

      You’re right, it is a bit more filling – I’m always trying to make sure I have enough proteins these days (eating for two now!) and this fills me up and keeps me going better than a bowl of pasta I have to say!

  3. Rosa says:

    Wonderful! I am a big fan of offals, but it is only lately that I have started enjoying tripe (well, tripe sausages more exactly). This dish is a great remplacement for tripe…

    Cheers,

    Rosa

  4. This is one of grandma’s favourite dishes, once in a while she comes here with her pan covered with an old lid, followed by a trail of mouthwatering smell. As soon as she opens the lid, there it is, la frittata trippata! I love it, and it requires a massive amount of bread, the scarpetta is a must!

    • Emiko says:

      Juls, I’d LOVE to hear your nonna’s recipe compared to this one. Sometimes the milk and flour are left out (a proper ‘frittata’) but I quite like how the frittatine become a bit more robust and sort of crepe-y with the addition! You’re right, it’s the perfect thing for a scarpetta! 😉

  5. Valeria says:

    We will definitely make this! Our way cooking here in London is not so far from cucina povera, and eggs are our main source of proteins! 🙂

    • Emiko says:

      I find it’s also a great way of using up eggs when you’re tired of having eggs, if you know what I mean! I love eggs but I was recently given a dozen large beautiful eggs from a collegue’s mother (the ones I mentioned above!) and it took me a while to get through them!

  6. Frances says:

    Yum! Looks like a very satisfying supper.

    “La scarpetta” was one of the first words I learned when I moved to Perugia, around a delicious rabbit dish. I was then made to phone my room-mate’s grandmother and thank her for having prepared it!! (She had skinned the rabbit and everything!) Happy days.

    Lovely photos, too…

    • Emiko says:

      Thanks Frances – a great story and a great food memory. Isn’t it brilliant when the name of something is just as wonderful as what it describes?

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