There is something both very old and very new about every good recipe. Take this asparagus frittata, for instance, today’s contribution to our week-long celebration of new-season British asparagus. It sounds delightfully modern and cosmopolitan, until you peep into Samuel Pepys’s diary for May 1, 1662: “At dinner comes my Lord Carlingford from London, going to Portsmouth: tells us that the Duchess of York is brought to bed of a girl, at which I find nobody pleased...He made himself a dish with eggs of the butter of the Sparagus, which is very fine meat, which I will practise hereafter.”

So asparagus and eggs have been combined for hundreds of years. Asparagus also has a natural affinity with olive oil, butter, sea salt, pepper and parmesan cheese, all of which are included in today’s recipe. This Italian omelette makes a quick and easy supper, made even faster and easier with my new, improved frittata technique of cooking in a covered pan. It means that you can avoid dropping the whole thing on the floor when inverting the omelette on to a plate, and burning the handle of your frying pan under the grill when trying to finish cooking the top.

ASPARAGUS FRITTATA

Prep: 10 min Cook: 15 min

Serves 3 to 4

Serve as a light supper with the last of the purple sprouting broccoli or the first of the rocket and sorrel leaves

400g asparagus
6 large eggs
50g freshly grated parmesan
Sea salt and pepper
2 tbsp chopped chives
1 tbsp oregano, chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter

METHOD

Snap the asparagus and discard the woody ends. Lay the stalks flat in a wide pan of simmering salted water, or steam over boiling water, and remove after 4 to 5 minutes when tender but still bright green. Drain, cool under running water and cut into 1cm pieces.

In a bowl, lightly beat the eggs, then add the asparagus, parmesan, sea salt, pepper, chives and oregano, stirring well.

Heat the butter and oil in a lidded 25cm (10in) non-stick frying pan. Pour in the mixture and cook gently for 3 minutes, drawing back the edges with the tip of a knife and tipping the runny egg over the edges to help it set.

Cover and leave over gentle heat for 5 minutes or until set on top. Slide on to a warmed serving plate, scatter with a little extra cheese, and cut into wedges.

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