Simple Green Frittata

Translation of a 16th century Italian Recipe.

From Christoforo di Messisbugo, Banchetti composizioni di vivande e apparecchio generale (Lucio Spineda, Venice, 1610)

p110v Frittada semplice verde, piena, e rognosa.¹ (Filling simple green frittata.)

Take ten eggs, which will be as your normal ones, and beat them well, with a little salt, and when they are well beaten, put in them a little water, then have the pan with six ounces of fresh butter, and it will be spoilt, throwing in the eggs, and cook your frittata, which will be as soft as you would, then put over it ground cinnamon, as it would be served. And if you would have it green, you will put in it mint, and parsley, and other herbs, oil in which they are ground very finely, with knives, following the above rule to cook as the one above is cooked. And if you would fill it you put in fatty grated cheese, or fresh cheese², and raisins within, and pine nuts, and onions cut small, and fresh fennel, and when one thing, when the other, and if you would make collops and eggs³, follow the first rule, adding in finely sliced prosciutto, or three quarters of an ounce of sausage, following the rule to cook as with the other, and over all of them convey much ground cinnamon.

1 Florio describes a "rognosa frittata" as being "a kind of tanzie or collops and egges fried together".

2 Messisbugo mentions "puina", which Florio translates as "a kinde of fresh-cheese and creame".

3 The phrase is "e volendola rognosa" - the "frittata" is omitted, but it makes more sense to me to translate as I have.