Garlicky Potato Frittata

Well, here it is: July. Here in New England, it feels a bit surreal, because we had a June characterized by three weeks of cool, rainy weather, with only two or three cool, sunny days mixed in. This made some people very sad, but as a person who hates the heat and never exposes my Casper-like complexion to direct sunlight on purpose, I wasn't really complaining. For one thing, it provided incentive to cook and bake, things for which I generally have little enthusiasm this time of year. One recent, gloomy day, it occurred to me that it had been ages since we'd had a frittata, and that some garlicky potatoes would make the perfect filling. So I threw this together one grey, misty morning, put it in the oven, and it emerged golden-brown and beauteous just in time to be a delicious lunch; even my picky youngest son ate a big slice, and that's sayin' summat. (Also and again, please excuse the crummy camera photo; believe me when I say it looked and smelled much better than suggested by the picture above!)

Garlicky Potato Frittata
The Filling:
~ Preheat the oven to 425 degrees fahrenheit.
~ 1.5 lbs. red potatoes, cut into 1" chunks
~ 1 large red bell pepper, cut into about 1/2" cubes
~ 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
~ 1 tsp. each: kosher salt, paprika, thyme, tarragon
~ Fresh black pepper
~ In a large bowl, coat the potatoes and peppers with the olive oil and spices.
~ Transfer to an oiled baking sheet and roast for 30-40 minutes, until golden brown, stirring occasionally.

The Garlicky Bit:
~ 2 cups chopped, fresh basil
~ 1 cup toasted, chopped walnuts
~ 2 tbsp. minced garlic
~ 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
~ 1/2 cup hummus (homemade or prepared, it doesn't matter)
~ Combine all ingredients in a food procesor and blend until smooth.
~ Pour over roasted potatoes, stir to coat thoroughly and set aside.

The Batter:
~ 1 lb. extra firm tofu, crumbled
~ 1 tbsp. minced garlic
~ 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
~ 1/3 cup unsweetened soy milk
~ 1/2 tsp. each: salt, turmeric, paprika
~ Fresh black pepper
~ Extra paprika and dried parsley for garnish
~Combine all the ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.

The Assembly:
~ Lower the oven to 400 degrees fahrenheit.
~ Coat a deep-dish pie plate with cooking spray.
~ Spread the potato mixture evenly over the bottom of the pie plate.
~ Pour the batter over the filling, smoothing with a rubber spatula to cover.
~ Sprinkle with a little paprika and dried parsley to make things pretty.
~ Bake uncovered in the center of the oven 30 minutes, until the batter is set and golden brown on top. (Check on it occasionally during the process, since ovens differ; mine tends to be slow).
~ Allow to sit another 10-15 minutes before serving.