An unfussy, expertly cooked omelette is one of life’s great, and easiest, pleasures. You can sex it up with diced tomatoes, peppers, mushroom or ham, but for us, simply egg with a touch of grated gruyere or emmental cheese is perfection. The exterior needs to be set and the middle runny, with the overall mouth feel silky and almost custard like. But enough with the eulogising, let’s get on with it. Here are 5 steps to the IDEAL omelette.
THE RIGHT PAN
Anytime you’re cooking something which is only going to spend a moment in the pan before a smooth, one motion exit back out again, it has to be non-stick. An omelette with pieces left behind in the pan isn’t a good look or texture. Yep, we’re looking for a smooth, plump finish. So, place your pan on a low to medium heat, and add a knob of butter. Wait for it to bubble, but definitely not to brown.
SILENCE, NO SIZZLE
Whisk two eggs in a bowl (don’t whisk them in the pan, it leads to an uneven texture and damage to the non-stick) and add to the pan when the butter has melted and is lightly bubbling. You want silence – no sizzle – as the eggs meet the butter.
DON’T RUSH IT
Yep, we’ve all seen the omelette challenge on BBC One’s Saturday Kitchen. We’ve been impressed with twenty second creations and grimaced at raw ones getting plated and served. But rushing your omelette isn’t going to deliver a good result. Instead, season with salt and perhaps a little pepper and stir gently and entirely with a flat-ended spatula, making sure you’re making contact with the bottom of the pan and covering 100% of its surface area. Keep the heat low and don’t rush.
KNOW WHEN TO REMOVE FROM THE HEAT
When a more stable mixture has formed, add a small line of grated cheese, if it’s your will, down the middle of the circle. Lift up the pan, and should your omelette be able to come away from the sides and move slightly as a homogeneous unit, it’s time to remove the pan from the heat entirely. We still want to the interior to be a little runny, don’t we?
FOLDING FLAIR
Now, starting at one edge, fold it over with your spatula; either in half or by rolling either edge inwards and overlapping each other. The finish is your preference, and the job is done.