What is a quiche without a crust called?

One egg dish similar to a quiche but without a pastry crust is a frittata. Frittata is, unlike the quiche, usually made without milk or cream.

A frittata (from the Italian, fritto, friggere: to fry) is made by beating eggs and mixing in cold, cooked meat, bacon, cheese, fried vegetables, and so on; the ingredients may also be added to the pan after the eggs are poured in.

The frittata is cooked on medium heat until the bottom is set and then inverted onto a heatproof plate or sheet; the top is grilled (broiled) until set. It can also be inverted into another pan to cook the top on the stove, though this gives a less attractive finish.

The top is often finished with extra cheese before grilling (broiling) and decorated with olives, anchovies, mushrooms, herbs and so on, like a Pizza. The cooked frittata is allowed to cool slightly so that it can be cut into wedges or slices.

Frittata ingredients can be chosen simply from whatever you have on hand. Frittata is a delicious meal in itself, and can be eaten hot or cold, by itself or with salad or other accompaniments. Crusty white bread is often served alongside frittata. It also makes a substantial sandwich filling.

As with very many foods, including pizza, differently-named variants of this dish are made all over the world - particularly in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern countries - using similar ingredients and methods. Beating leftover meat and vegetables together with eggs and frying is a popular and delicious meal worldwide.

A similar dish to the Italian frittata is the Spanish omelet, which, outside of Spain, is usually made by adding cooked potato and fried onions and peppers to the eggs. The traditional Spanish omelet is more likely to be eggs, beaten and cooked in a pan, perhaps with onions, and served with a sauce of hot peppers, onions and tomatoes.