Many people have a love and hate relationship with traditional French omelette, perhaps because being able to close it and cook it like great chefs do is not easy at all. The omelette is the Italian version of omelette, it is just as good and it is much easier to prepare. In practice it is nothing more than a compact omelette that, if desired, you can start cooking in a pan and then transfer to the oven. Once you've mastered the basic steps, you can try customizing the taste of the omelette with some of your favorite ingredients. You will immediately fall in love with the simplicity and goodness of this recipe.
Ingrediants
- 1 tablespoon of butter
- 100 g of vegetables (optional)
- 100 g of cooked meat (optional)
- 30 g of grated Parmesan
- 6 eggs
- A grind of black pepper
- 1 tablespoon of chopped herbs (optional)
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Making a Simple Omelette
Step 1. Heat the pan
Add a tablespoon of butter to the bottom and let it melt over medium-high heat. Let the butter melt and the pan heat up. Use a non-stick or cast iron skillet with a diameter of about 30 cm. It doesn't matter that it has low edges, as this recipe doesn't require you to turn or fold the omelette.
It is essential to use a pan that you can put in the oven as you will use it to finish cooking the omelette
Step 2. Reheat or cook the vegetables and meat you want to incorporate into the omelette
When the butter has melted and the pan is hot, add the pre-cooked meat and vegetables to heat them quickly (about 2 minutes). You can use the leftover meat or vegetables the day before. Spread the ingredients across the bottom of the pan so they heat up evenly.
- Use about 100g of meat and 100g of vegetables, unless you want to make a larger omelette.
- If the vegetables are raw, you need to wait for them to cook before adding the eggs. The time required varies according to the type of vegetable.
Step 3. Beat the eggs
Pour 6 eggs into a bowl, add 30 g of grated Parmesan cheese, a few pinches of black pepper and then mix the ingredients with a whisk until they are perfectly blended.
It would be better to use a bowl with a spout or transfer the beaten eggs to a pitcher to be able to pour them more easily into the pan
Step 4. Pour the beaten eggs into the pan and let them cook
Spread them evenly across the bottom of the pan, letting them wrap around the meat and vegetables. Stir briefly and cook the omelette over medium-high heat for 4-5 minutes. When the eggs start to thicken, you can sprinkle them with chopped fresh herbs if you wish.
Stir the eggs using a silicone (heat-resistant) spatula to avoid scratching the bottom of the pan, especially if it has a non-stick coating
If you are using a pan with a handle, make sure it is also ovenproof. If it's made of plastic, it could melt and catch fire. The wooden handles are also in danger of catching fire.
Step 5. Finish cooking the omelette in the oven
If you want a golden crust to form on the omelette, turn on the grill and place the pan in the upper part of the oven. Within 2-4 minutes, the omelette should be puffy and golden. If you fear it might burn, you can turn on the traditional oven at 200 ° C and let the omelette cook for 8-10 minutes or until the eggs have completely set.
Using the grill, you will get a crispy crust, but be careful not to lose sight of the omelette as it could burn quickly
Step 6. Slice and serve the omelette
If you used 6 eggs and a pan with a diameter of 30 cm, you should be able to cut it into 6-8 slices. Use a sharp knife or pizza cutter. You can serve it hot, fresh out of the oven, or at room temperature after letting it cool.
Always be cautious when handling a knife, especially if it is very sharp. Also remember to wear oven mitts as the pan will be hot
Part 2 of 3: Customizing the Omelette
Step 1. Try using a different cheese than the classic grated Parmesan
You can use any variety of cheese in the refrigerator. By selecting one or at most two you will be able to give a particular flavor to the omelette. The following cheeses have unique characteristics.
- Feta: has a sour and salty taste;
- Ricotta: a little is enough to make the omelette very creamy;
- Goat cheese: it has a rich and sour flavor;
- Fontina: it is tasty and melts easily;
- Smoked mozzarella or scamorza: with a smoked cheese the omelette will have a richer taste.
Step 2. Select the vegetables
The simplest and quickest solution is to use the leftovers you have in the refrigerator. The most suitable are roasted vegetables which, when cooked slowly in the oven, caramelize and make the omelette sweeter and tastier. If you want to use fresh vegetables, put them in the pan first and make sure they are completely cooked before adding the eggs. The most suitable options for omelette include:
- Potatoes;
- Roasted or grilled asparagus;
- Onions
- Broccoli;
- Peppers (possibly roasted);
- Mushrooms;
- Leeks
- Fresh herbs, such as parsley, oregano and basil.
Step 3. Add the protein part, for example the meat
The vegetables can be cooked at the moment in the same pan in which you will prepare the omelette, instead the meat must necessarily be already cooked. Since you don't need a lot of it, you can reuse and combine leftovers you have in the fridge, for example:
- Pulled chicken, pork, or beef
- Diced ham or crumbled sausage;
- Bacon bits
- For a vegetarian version you can use tofu.
Step 4. Consider adding a cured meat as well
In addition to the cheese and some good quality ricotta that will make the omelette pleasantly creamy, you can add a wide variety of cured meats or sausages. The options include:
- Salami;
- Suppressed;
- Mortadella;
- Dried ham.
Step 5. Reuse the leftover paste
If you intend to serve the omelette as a main course or as a main course, you can make it even more complete by adding the pasta left over the day before. It is preferable to use plain pasta, otherwise the sauce could prevent the omelette from thickening properly. Add about 200g at the same time as the other extra ingredients.
You can also use rice, which is starchy like pasta, to add texture to the omelette. Add 200 g of rice cooked the day before at the same time as the other ingredients of the recipe
Part 3 of 3: Serve the Omelette
Step 1. Accompany the omelette with an equally tasty side dish
The omelette is also great on its own, but for a more complete meal you can accompany it with toast and a variety of gourmet cheeses. It also goes well with the slightly spicy taste of rocket or sauteed leafy vegetables.
If the omelette is very creamy, leafy greens can balance its texture
Step 2. Serve the omelette
If you used a pan with a diameter of about 30 cm you should be able to get 6-8 slices of omelette. For a larger number of diners, you can use a pan 25 cm wide and about 35 cm long, and then divide the omelette into 8-10 portions. In this case, skip the vegetables, poached meat and all the extra ingredients in a skillet, then transfer them to the greased or buttered dish. Beat 12 eggs with the addition of about 60 ml of milk and pour them into the pan. Sprinkle everything with the grated Parmesan and cook the omelette in the oven at 190 ° C for 45 minutes.
Once ready, let the omelette cool for a few minutes before cutting it into square pieces
Step 3. Make a series of sweet buns or muffins with the omelette to serve for breakfast
For sandwiches, follow the omelette recipe for 8-10 people and, once ready, use a round cookie pan to make perfect circles. Place the omelette inside a sweet bun along with a slice of cheese. For the omelette muffins, divide the beaten eggs and other ingredients into the muffin pan, then bake them at 170 ° C for 25-30 minutes. Once ready, serve them immediately.
