It happens every time I pull out my copy of Whole Grains Every Day, Every Way to make our favorite turkey chili. We do a quick browse through the book and find yet another recipe to make out of there. That’s how this skillet pie came about.

This isn’t one of those dishes that’s impressive or so good you want to make it again the next night. But it’s fast to make, and tasty. I had everything prepped ahead of time, including the barley (cooked in 20 minutes in the pressure cooker). From start to finish, this dish took ten minutes to make. It’s kind of like a frittata, or a Spanish omlette.

The version in the book is made with barley and chorizo and is topped with manchego cheese. What I particularly love about the recipe is the technique – it has endless variations. Just cook aromatics and maybe a protein in a skillet, add cooked grains and eggs, let it set up, then add cheese to the top and put it under the broiler.

I could see making this with bits of roasted turkey, wheatberries, black beans and jack cheese. Or using farro and herbs and leaving out the meat altogether. If you’d like to try the recipe as published in the book, check out Serious Eats.

• Barley-Chorizo Skillet Pie (Whole Grains Every Day, Every Way, p. 187)