Pour a small amount of olive oil in a non-stick 10" pan. Set heat to medium. After about a minute, place strips of green and red pepper strips into the pan. Stir frequently to insure they are uniformly cooked. Add strips of onion and continue to stir, adding more olive oil as necessary. Add mushrooms and continue to stir. Reduce heat to low and sprinkle pepper flakes over the entire mixture and stir. At this point it will be necessary to add more olive oil to insure that the frittata will not stick to the bottom of the pan (Very important). Sprinkle with cheese. Slowly pour the beaten eggs over the mixture. Place a lid over it and let it slowly cook (8-10 minutes) until you see that the eggs are sufficiently done.

Have a pizza pan or flat plate ready. Remove the lid and place the pizza pan over it. In one quick motion, flip the pan over. The frittata should easily slide onto the pizza pan. It should have a nice golden brown color. Let it cool for 3-4 minutes and cut into wedges using a pizza cutter or large sharp knife

Ernie Patino grew up in El Paso, Texas and worked for 23 years as an FBI agent. He currently lives in Tucson, Arizona, where he divides his time between writing and working as a private investigator. In addition, he is a ballroom dancer and gourmet cook.  His previous novel, In the Shadow of a Stranger, was published in England. His upcoming novel is set in South Florida where lived for 22 years prior to moving to Arizona.

Learn more at www.ErniePatino.com