Master the French Omelette with This Recipe! (2024)

FAQs

What is the story behind the French omelette? ›

The emperor Bonaparte was traveling with his army through a small town where a local innkeeper made omelettes. When Napoleon tried one, he was so enthralled with it that he had the town gather all the eggs and create one big omelet for his army.

American omelets are folded in half, whereas a French omelet is folded in thirds to encase its filling in a neat package. A professional chef folds an omelet and flips it out of the pan in one seamless motion, and you will, too, once you understand the following simple steps.

Rolled rather than folded, the ideal French omelette is very pale yellow in color, almost impossibly even in shape, and just barely set on the inside. (Note: Because we are talking about French technique, we'll use the French spelling for this article, merci.)

A true French omelette, or omelet as we Americans call it, is just eggs and butter, no filling. The egg is folded for a soft, tender texture.

The Farberware nonstick skillet fits the bill perfectly, although, if you cook on induction, you'll need something with a steel base. Having a good, fresh nonstick coating on your pan is possibly the single most important key to French omelette success.

For a fluffy omelette add a splash of milk or cream and whisk vigorously for around 30 seconds, or as foam begins to appear on the top of the mixture. The more foam that appears the fluffier it will be, but don't go overboard!

French omelets are served plain or with light fillings, folded tightly with a soft interior. American omelets are thicker and crispier and often served with heavier fillings. Although the ingredients are often the same, every other part of the process is different.

A French omelette does not require a filling and can be served plain. For presentation, a French omelette (pictured above) is rolled up into a cylindrical shape before serving, whereas an American omelet is folded in half.

The bottom should be firm and set, but the top should still look a little wet. If you wait until the top is dry, then your omelette will be dry — and that is no one's idea of a good breakfast. But if you're not a fan of runny eggs, don't worry; the eggs will finish cooking in the residual heat after you fold it.

Crack the eggs into a small bowl and whisk. Add some salt and pepper, if you like, but do not add any water, milk, or any other liquids. Heat the oil or butter in a 9-inch non-stick frying pan and pour in the eggs.

Do you stir an omelette? ›

Start stirring your eggs as soon as you add them to the pan to make sure nothing is sticking to the bottom. Stirring also helps to prevent curds of cooked egg from forming faster than it takes the entire mixture to cook. To further ensure the eggs cook evenly, vigorously shake the pan in a circular motion as you stir.

Size. The sizes of the best omelette pans on the market range from 8 to 12 inches. On the smaller end, an 8-inch omelette pan can accommodate a two-egg recipe, while a 12-inch pan on the larger end will easily hold a four-serving omelette.

A true French omelette, or omelet as we Americans call it, is just eggs and butter, no filling. The egg is folded for a soft, tender texture. It's 10% ingredients and 90% technique, so it does take a bit of practice to perfect.

What Is Different About a French Omelette? French omelettes are cooked just until set, so they have a creamy, custard-like texture and no brown spots outside. They are rarely filled with anything other than a small amount of cheese, and they're rolled into a log rather than folded in half for serving.

A French omelette does not require a filling and can be served plain. For presentation, a French omelette (pictured above) is rolled up into a cylindrical shape before serving, whereas an American omelet is folded in half.

Warm a 20cm (measured across the top) non-stick frying pan on a medium heat. Crack the eggs into a bowl and beat them with a fork so they break up and mix, but not as completely as you would for scrambled egg. With the heat on medium-hot, drop one knob of butter into the pan. It should bubble and sizzle, but not brown.