[bonjour]

While I appreciate the "art" of it (I really do)  we are trying to keep this whole forum completely family rated, well except for the beer.

[nicneufeld]

I saw "potjie" and I immediately thought Boer...I'll have to try some sort of stew like that over the fire sometime.  I have an inordinate interest in the history of colonial South Africa, particularly the conflicts in the late 1870s and at the turn of the century (2nd AngloBoer War).

[babalu87]

I want the one on the bottom here

https://secure.lodgemfg.com/storefront/product1_new.asp?menu=logic&idProduct=4044



NOT the combo, I have three dutch ovens as it is.

[bluesman]

For the collectors out there...

From 1865 until 1957, Griswold Manufacturing Co. of Erie, Pa., made cast-iron implements that each had a distinctive mark on the back of the piece. The name Griswold is easily recognizable, but the company also used "Erie," "Erie PA" or "Erie PA USA," according to Antiques.About.com.

http://www.roanoke.com/extra/wb/204446

http://www.griswoldcookware.com/history.htm

[redbeerman]

No worries about stepping on toes there Jon. Debating is learning.

Ill have to disagree with you on the frittata thing though. I learned how to make frittatas when I worked as an Italian chef. And I learned it from old timers. So I would like to THINK I know w little bit about Italian food.

 The only reason to start it on the stove is when it is really big and thick, cause if its thick and cooked in the oven the eggs will over cook on the outside before they completely cook on the inside.

You can make them on the stove top, the oven or both. Doesn't make a difference. Basically it is an omelet that isn't turned and folded over. instead it is made like above.

For me the oven method  works best  when busy cause you can just throw everything into the pan pour over the eggs and be done with it.

Now . casserole, that is a different story all together. Around here that means a hodge podge of 'whatever' baked in the oven.

Like my moms tuna casserole surprise. eeewww

As for the nonstick pans. I just don't like them. I want to cook with metal tools, not plastic ones. Nothing wrong with using them. Its just that if food doesn't stick for you on regular pans then why use non stick?

Cap, you may have learned from old timers, but maybe they weren't doing it right either ,  I was taught to use a skillet, too.  As far as nonstick goes, you don't need it if the pan is the right temperature before you add the grease (or other cooking substrate).  The cooking food actually floats on top of a thin layer of whatever while it is cooking.  I use stainless stuff all the time , stuff only sticks if I do something stupid, like leave it on too long or don't let the pan heat up enough first.

[beerocd]

Ill have to disagree with you on the frittata thing though. I learned how to make frittatas when I worked as an Italian chef. And I learned it from old timers. So I would like to THINK I know w little bit about Italian food.
You can make them on the stove top, the oven or both. Doesn't make a difference. Basically it is an omelet that isn't turned and folded over. instead it is made like above.
Now . casserole, that is a different story all together. Around here that means a hodge podge of 'whatever' baked in the oven.

Cap, you may have learned from old timers, but maybe they weren't doing it right either ,  I was taught to use a skillet, too.

So to recap -
capp says eggs n stuff  in the oven is a frittata and stuff without eggs is a casserole.

redbeer says it's a casserole because it's in a casserole dish, and a fritata if it's in a skillet. no mention of eggs.

Is this the basic idea?

-OCD

[redbeerman]

Frittata is with eggs in a skillet.  Sorry for the confusion.

[beerocd]

Frittata is with eggs in a skillet.  Sorry for the confusion.

Eggs in a skillet = fritata
Eggs in a casserole dish = casserole

I got it now, right?

-OCD

[capozzoli]

Eggs sauteed in a pan then folded over with other ingredients inside = omelet

Eggs with other ingredients mixed in then baked on the stove top or oven in pan or casserole = fritata


Im not really sure where casserole falls in there. I know a casserole to be an oven pan. I also know a few dishes that are called casserole, tuna, green bean etc. I dont know of any "casserole" recipes for eggs.

In my experience... when someone brings out a dish that they call casserole, do what ever you can to leave. FAST!

[beerocd]

Eggs sauteed in a pan then folded over with other ingredients inside = omelet

Eggs with other ingredients mixed in then baked on the stove top or oven in pan or casserole = fritata


Im not really sure where casserole falls in there. I know a casserole to be an oven pan. I also know a few dishes that are called casserole, tuna, green bean etc. I dont know of any "casserole" recipes for eggs.

In my experience... when someone brings out a dish that they call casserole, do what ever you can to leave. FAST!

So when they saute my ingredients in a pan - then ladle on the eggs over that. It's a frittata?
I like my ingredients in the fold of the omelette. I'm just after the nuances of egginess, now. I thought the casserole thing died a while back - but it does seem to bug you.  

-OCD

[capozzoli]

Doesnt bug me in a bad way, it is just interesting.

It may be like colloquial nomenclature or something. dumplings vs pot stickers for example.

A horse by any other name......

I like omelets too. But I really like fritattas. Especially when we have a family get togethers down the shore. We usually make a giant frittata with asparagus, potatoes, buttery homemade croutons, scallops, shrimp topped with sliced ripe fresh jersey beef steaks and cheese. Some blistering strong coffee and you have a Capozzoli's summer time hangin on the beach all day breakfast.

It would just be to much of a PITA to make seafood omelets for everyone.

[beerocd]

I like the frittatas big and thick, kinda gibanica sized.
And I like my OMELETTES made as omelettes. Not baby frittatas. That's all.

Hey, funny, this thread kinda went full circle. Pretty much started with omelettes.

-OCD

[bluesman]

Eggs sauteed in a pan then folded over with other ingredients inside = omelet

Eggs with other ingredients mixed in then baked on the stove top or oven in pan or casserole = fritata


Im not really sure where casserole falls in there. I know a casserole to be an oven pan. I also know a few dishes that are called casserole, tuna, green bean etc. I dont know of any "casserole" recipes for eggs.

In my experience... when someone brings out a dish that they call casserole, do what ever you can to leave. FAST!

Here's the Wikipedia version...

Casserole
 
A casserole, from the French for "saucepan", is a large, deep pot used both in the oven and as a serving vessel. The word casserole is also used for the food cooked and served in such a vessel, with the cookware itself called a "casserole dish". In British English, this type of dish is frequently also called a bake, coinciding with the cooking technique used to cook casseroles.


So there you have it. Anything cooked or baked in that dish is a casserole. 

[capozzoli]

So is lasagna a casserole? 

 

[bluesman]

I suppose I could put some dandelions in my casserole dish and it would satisfy the definition.