Making an omelet is a quick process, usually taking no more than about two minutes. These delicious egg dishes may be made plain for a breakfast or main dish or filled with various fruits for wonderful desserts. Before beginning an omelet, study the recipe carefully since stopping to check details while cooking is not an option. It may take considerable practice to master the art of omelet-cooking but after doing so, the process will become very easy.
The first step in preparing a successful omelet is having the proper tools. The skillet should be cast aluminum, cast iron, stainless steel or coated with a nonstick material. It should be rounded around the bottom where the bottom and sides of the pan meet. Specially-designed omelet pans are widely available at specialty and department stores. A 10-inch skillet will hold a four-egg omelet and a 7-inch skillet will accomodate an omelet containing two or three eggs. Making an omelet using more than four eggs is not recommended since it may become difficult to handle. Rather than one large omelet, two or more smaller ones is more practical.
To make a delicious and light omelet, only the freshest ingredients should be used. Remove eggs from the refrigerator about an hour before beginning. Gather all necessary ingredients so that they are all at hand for the process. If a filling is to be made, prepare this beforehand since it must be added to the omelet quickly.
To begin, break eggs into a bowl with all seasonings. Beat eggs briskly only until eggs and yolks are mixed. Be careful not to overbeat since this may result in a tough texture.
Place skillet over high heat, adding butter or margarine to coat the sides when the skillet is very hot. If butter is allowed to cook until it darkens, discard this since it will ruin the omelet. When this happens, clean the skillet with paper towels and begin again. As soon as the butter stops foaming, quickly add the egg mixture. Stir with a circular motion, using flat part of the fork. While doing this, shake the pan over the heat. When all excess liquid is absorbed and set, stop stirring. Pat the back of the omelet with fork so that it is even all around. Let stand for about two seconds. At this point, the omelet should move around freely when the pan is shaken. If filling is to be added, spoon this onto the omelet.
Take fork and gently roll the omelet, lifting the side near the skillet handle. Roll 1/3 of the omelet toward the center. While holding a heated plate in one hand, tilt the handle of the pan (held palm-up in the other hand) over the plate and let the omelet roll onto the plate. To add a shiny gloss to an omelet, butter or margarine may be rubbed across the top of the omelet.
