Made from beaten eggs, fried and folded around a filling that could include just about anything yummy from cheese and vegetables to cold hams and cooked meat, the Italian omelet gets its Mediterranean zest from its local aromatic herb ingredients, fresh cheeses, and savory sauces that transform it from the ubiquitous omelet to a savory pizza in breakfast form.
Thatâs the traditional omelet in Italian style, but the Italians also have their own version, the Frittata. An egg-based dish, quite like the quiche, a frittata is open-faced, never folded like an omelet, and can be eaten both hot and carried away cold to a picnic. For a delicious brunch, try an easy Italian omelet with sauce recipe, and the equally easy frittata recipe for either a hot or cold serving. Both recipes serve two, and come with an easy cooking level.
Name of the dish: Italian omelette
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Ingredients for the Omelet:
4 eggs
1 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 cup zucchini, sliced
3 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
Salt and pepper to taste
Ingredients for the sauce:
1 tablespoon butter
1 medium tomato, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
Salt to taste
Directions to make:
1. Add two tablespoons of butter to a large non-stick frying pan on medium heat. Saute the mushrooms and zucchini in the frying pan till tender. Remove and keep warm.
2. Add the remaining butter to the same frying pan, and melt the butter on low heat.
3. In a small bowl, beat the eggs, along with a few tablespoons on water, salt and pepper.
4. Add the whisked mixture of eggs to the frying pan in a smooth layer.
5. When the eggs have set in a layer, spoon the mushrooms, zucchini and mozzarella cheese over one half of the layer, and fold the other half over the filling. Remove from heat.
Preparing the sauce:
1. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.
2. Add the tomatoes, parsley, clove, basil, and salt to the saucepan, and simmer for about five minutes till done.
Serve the sauce with the omelet.
Italian Frittata
Serve the frittata piping hot, or leave to cool, cut into squares and wrap in silver foil. Store the foil-wrapped frittata in a refrigerator till ready to eat or to carry away in a picnic basket.
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 eggs
400 gm (about 1lb) cooked potatoes, diced
4 spring onions, chopped
1 small zucchini, cooked and diced
Mint leaves, chopped
50 gm (about 2 oz) cheese, grated or crumbled
Salt and pepper to taste, parsley for garnish
Directions to make:
1. Heat the olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan. Add the potatoes and saute on medium heat for about five minutes, before turning the heat down to low.
2. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs together with the chopped spring onions, and mint leaves. Add salt and pepper to taste.
3. Transfer the mixture to the frying pan, and add the diced potatoes such that they are evenly distributed over the pan. Allow the mixture to set for about five minutes on medium heat.
4. Transfer the pan with its contents to a preheated cooking grill, and leave to cook within, till the top layers sets to a nice golden brown.
5. Remove the pan and loosen the frittata gently, before sliding it onto a serving plate.
