EVEN the most accomplished chefs need inspiration to keep cooking well. And Jamie Oliver, the so-called “Naked Chef,” is no exception. The author of five cookbooks and star of his own TLC series “Jamie’s Kitchen,” Oliver took some time off to take a culinary journey around Italy in a new Travel Channel series.

“Jamie’s Great Italian Escape,” which premieres Wednesday night with backtoback episodes at 8 and 8:30 p.m., follows the impish British chef from Genoa, where Oliver catches a boat bound for Palermo, Sicily, to several points beyond. After cooking in a nighttime street market, he dashes off to the nearby island of Marettimo, where he learns to prepare spaghetti fritters.

Oliver eventually heads to northern Italy for cooking adventures in the mountains of Le Marche before going on to Altamura (known as the city of bread), and the Amalfi coast. Many of the dishes cooked up on Oliver’s new series are included in his new Hyperion cookbook, “Jamie’s Italy,” and because you can’t taste the food cooked on television, one tasty recipe is included in the inset at right.

SHRIMP AND PARSLEY FRITTATA

* 6 large eggs

* sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

* a handful of fresh parsley leaves, finely chopped

* zest of 1 lemon

* juice of 1/4 lemon

* 1 heaping tablespoon grated Parmesan

* 6-7 oz., medium shrimp

* a good dollop of butter olive oil

* ½ dried red chili, crumbled

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 425 F. In a bowl, whisk the eggs with a pinch of salt and pepper.

Add the parsley, lemon zest and juice, and Parmesan.

Roughly chop half the shrimp, leaving the rest whole, and add all of them to the bowl. In a small, heavy, nonstick ovenproof pan, heat the butter with a good splash of oil until it begins to foam, then add all the egg mixture.

Slowly move a spoon around the eggs for about a minute on medium heat, then put the pan into the oven. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, till slightly golden.

Sprinkle the chili over it and slide onto a board.

Serves 2.