There is nothing like a well-made frittata – it’s one of the most perfect and most forgotten-about dishes. It is inexpensive to make and a very efficient vehicle for leftover food such as the roast potatoes and vegetables from last night’s dinner, the leftover cheese in the fridge, chutney and cold meats.

There are a few rules that need to be observed when making omelettes. Don’t over-cook – the frittata should have the texture of custard, trembling and barely set.

The additions to the frittata should be fully cooked so that their addition won’t introduce too much moisture into the eggs, bringing a sogginess to the overall dish.

I have used asparagus in the frittata but you can use any vegetables you wish, such as roast vegetables including potatoes, chargrilled tender stem broccoli, peas. They all work equally well.

Choose your pan carefully, I use a well-seasoned heavy-based cast iron pan. Remember, the pan you use needs to be ovenproof.

Pre-heat the oven to 180C

Heat the butter and olive oil together in the pan until sizzling, then add the asparagus and cook until tender, remove from the pan and set aside.

Meanwhile beat the eggs, milk, half the cheese and herbs together and season well. Pour the egg mix into the pan, arrange the asparagus on top and crumble remaining cheese over the top. Put the pan into the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Keep an eye on the frittata for the last 10 minutes as you don’t want to over-cook.

Cut and serve for breakfast, lunch or tea.