Sweet Potato and Fennel Frittata (with Leeks!)

This is a creative combination right here (and I wish I'd thought of it!): Sweet potato and fennel.  I wouldn't have thought to bring these two together but I'm glad someone else did.  Since I wasn't sure how I'd feel about fennel (beleive it or not I've never actually had fennel before except as tea) so I picked up some leeks to split the frittata into two parts: one half fennel and the other half leeks.  As it turns out, both halves are delicious!  Although I'm still glad I grabbed the leeks.  They offer good flavor combinations as well as textures.  So good.


SWEET POTATO & FENNEL FRITTATA (AND LEEKS)

INGREDIENTS:
4 eggs (or egg subsitute)
1/4 cup mascarpone cheese
1/4 cup milk
1 large sweet potato (peeled and sliced really thin with a mandolin
1 large fennel bulb (cored, and sliced thin)
2 leeks (optional)
1/4 cup fresh grated Pecorino cheese
1 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves (or oregano)
Salt and pepper as needed
2 tablespoons butter, melted

DIRECTIONS:
Whisk together the eggs, mascarpone and milk together. Season with salt and set aside. Brush the bottom of your tart pan with butter. Arrange one-third of the sweet potato slices in a single layer on the base slightly overlapping the slices. Sprinkle a third of the fennel slices evenly. Season with salt, pepper and a third of the thyme. Pour a third of the egg mixture over the veggies. Sprinkle some of the Pecorino cheese. Repeat with 2 more layers ending by sprinkling all the remaining Pecorino on top.

Bake at 350F for 30 minutes until the center is set. Remove to rack and serve immediately.

PERSONAL NOTES:

As I mentioned above, I split the frittata into two halves.  One side for the fennel, the other for the leeks.  Also - and this is a BIG note - my frittata cooked for 50 minutes NOT 30 minutes.  I kept checking to see if the eggs were cooked in the middle and they weren't.  I have no idea why it took so long, but there you have it.  Check it at 30 minutes and see if you need to keep it cooking or not.  50 minutes is quite a bit of time - and considerably longer than what the recipe originally called for.  But let me tell you, the end result was worth the wait.  SO GOOD.