Tonight's dinner was one out of necessity since we were trying to get odds and ends used up from the pantry and refrigerator. This Potato and Turkey Bacon Pie could be described as a cross between an egg-y crustless quiche and skillet frittata - so let's just call it a pie and be done with it! When I was sifting through the refrigerator before we went to the market today, I noticed we had a few strips of turkey bacon languishing in the meat drawer leftover from breakfasts this week and about a cup worth of ricotta from that Chicken and Orzo Frittata. We also happened to have a couple lonely potatoes in the pantry.
While we let those last strips of lean bacon crisp up in a skillet, we added some chunked russet potatoes and cold salted water to a saucepan, brought it to a boil and let the potatoes simmer until they were just tender. To create the frittata/quiche part, a few eggs and egg whites, along with the leftover ricotta, heaps of sharp white cheddar and a few seasonings are whipped together until combined. Once all this prep work had been completed, the crumbled bacon, firm, yet tender potatoes and chopped spinach are warmed up before the egg and ricotta mixture is poured in. Because this pie is quite thick, the bottom would probably burn before the mixture could completely set if it was cooked on the stove, so instead we slid the skillet into the oven to bake it.
When it is done, the center will be just firm to the touch and a knife place in the center should come out clean - be sure to let it rest at least 5 to 10 minutes before serving it. Pairing well with the crisp smoky bacon pieces, the delightful chunks of potatoes kept their shape well without turning mealy. While the ricotta aided in keeping this moist, it has a fairly delicate and mild flavor - the sharp bite from the white cheddar was a welcome addition to keep our taste buds standing at attention. Feel like going to the dark side? Use a flavored bacon (applewood or whatnot) and then use the drippings, instead of the olive oil, to push this to a new level.
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