How to Cook an Omelette

Ingredients

• 2-4 eggs
• Frying pan or griddle
• Milk
• Non-stick oil
• Something to beat your eggs with (mixer, fork, wire whisk, fist)
• Flipper or spatula
• Salt and pepper (or other herbs and spices)
• Omelette fillings
  • Shredded Cheese
  • Green Pepper
  • Onions chopped
  • mushrooms
  • diced tomatoes
  • ham
  • Oil or butter

Steps

1. Gather and prepare your omelette filling ingredients. Eggs cook quickly, so it is best to select and cut up all of your ingredients prior to cooking. Chop these into bite-size pieces. Some common omelette additions include onions, ham, bell peppers, braising greens, spinach, sausage, olives, diced tomatoes and mushrooms. Use any or all of the ingredients, in combinations of your choice.
2. Break the eggs. It is best to crack your eggs one at a time in a bowl or a cup (this will keep bad ones from getting mixed in). Put them into a glass or plastic measuring cup equipped to pour the eggs into the pan.
3. Beat the eggs until they are completely mixed (the yolks and the whites). You can either use a hand mixer, a fork, or wire whisk to mix/beat your eggs. For something as simple as an omelette, a fork will suffice. For a single-serve omelette, you can use between two and four eggs, depending on how hungry you are. At this stage you can add salt, pepper, and other herbs and spices to the eggs.
4. Stir up your other ingredients.
5. Use a good heavy cast-iron pan with about a tablespoon of melted butter. Put the pan on low to medium heat, and pour in the eggs, spreading them evenly by tilting the pan, or with a spatula. Adding a splash of milk will help make the eggs fluffy.
6. While the eggs are firm on the bottom, but still slightly runny on top, sprinkle shredded cheese over eggs. You will know that the omelette is done when there is no liquid left in the eggs.
7. Take three-quarters of your ingredients, and evenly sprinkle them over the eggs.
8. Pay special attention that the eggs are not sticking to the bottom of the pan, and use your flipper or spatula around the edges of the omelet to make sure that it is not sticking. Gently roll the sides of your omelette, about an inch or two. Then roll or fold the ends of the omelette, closing in the ingredients.
9. Roll your omelette onto your plate, or use the spatula and lift it onto your plate.
10. Place the remaining ingredients on top, and sprinkle with cheese.

Tips

• Even if you are in a hurry, don’t cook omelettes on too high a heat. Eggs cook quickly.
• Plan ahead. For super-quick omelets, already have your favorite additions pre-cut. Cutting vegetables and meats or grating cheese takes longer than actually cooking an omelette.
• Make sure that the eggs don't stick to the pan. To keep all the ingredients inside of a folded omelet, you have to be able to fold it in half. If you overcook the eggs, the omelet will stick to the pan and break apart when flipping.
• Don’t be afraid to be creative. Many people enjoy their omelettes with crazy varieties (like avocado and shrimp or bacon and pineapple). Just like pizza, omelets provide the culinary artist with a limitless canvas.
• Best to use a long (6") skinny spatula.

Warnings

• Before cooking, make sure that your eggs are not rotten. Rotten eggs will ruin your omelette experience. Eggs generally last at least two weeks in the refrigerator after purchase date.
• If egg shells get in your eggs when you crack them, make sure to remove before cooking. There is nothing less appetizing than eating egg shell omelettes!
• Make sure your omelette is fully cooked. Salmonella, a bacteria that causes food poisoning, is common in eggs. Only thorough cooking—to 160 degrees or until eggs are no longer runny--will kill the bacteria.
• Meat should be pre-cooked even before adding to the ingredient pan.
• Eggs contain a great deal of cholesterol, so if you have high cholesterol use only the white of the eggs, or Egg Beaters.

Related wikiHows

• How to Hard Boil an Egg
• How to Make Scrambled Eggs
• How to Peel an Egg Quickly
• How to Poach the Perfect Egg Without an Egg Poacher
• How to Make Matzoh Brei
• How to Make Scotch Pancakes

Sources and Citations

• http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact_Sheets/Egg_&_Egg_Product_Safety/index.asp

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