Monday, January 23, 2012

Meatless Monday--Roasted Red Pepper and Mozzarella Omelette

Confession--even long after I'd become a proficient cook, I was completely incapable of making a decent omelette.  Sad, but true.  Puff pastry from scratch?  No problem.  But the thought of someone requesting an omelette was enough to send me into a panic attack as I tried to figure out how to convince that person what they really wanted was a nice scramble.  But no more.  Now I've got it.

I still haven't tackled the French rolled omelette, but I'm quite happy with just being able to make the plain ol' fold-over kind.  For now.  I know one day I'll want to try the rolled type, but for the time being, I'm planning on enjoying as many variations of omelettes as I can.  I've listed the ingredients I used in this particular omelette, but please know you can use any combination of ingredients you'd like.  Just be sure to use a cheese that gets all melty and oozy because that's the best part.

roasted red pepper omelette

Roasted Red Pepper and Mozzarella Omelette
an "Apple a Day" original

Ingredients:
1 TBSP butter
5 eggs
2 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary
1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
salt and pepper, to taste
1/3 c. shredded mozzarella
1/4 c. roasted red pepper, cut into 1/4-in. slices
2 TBSP chopped fresh parsley, divided

Directions:
1.  Melt butter in a 12-in. skillet over medium heat.  While butter is melting (no sooner, you don't want the eggs to deflate), whisk together eggs, rosemary, thyme, salt, and pepper.  Pour eggs into skillet.  If they sizzle and begin to fry, your pan is to hot.  Remove it from the burner for a moment and reduce heat slightly.  Leave skillet over burner about 2 minutes, gently stirring liquid part of eggs and pushing toward outside of the pan all the while.

2.  After 2 minutes, use spatula to gently lift one outside edge of eggs.  Tilt pan to let much of the uncooked eggs run underneath.  Keep cooking, still stirring liquid part of eggs, 1 minute more.

3.  With handle pointing directly toward you, sprinkle cheese, red peppers, and 1 TBSP parsley onto left half of omelette, leaving a small border.  (If you are left handed, you may want to place the filling on the right side.)  Slide spatula well underneaht right side of eggs and, in one swift motion, flip right half of eggs on top of left half.  Lightly press edges to seal.

4.  To serve, slide entire omelette onto a large plate.  Cut in half, place each half on a smaller plate, sprinkle with remaining parsley, and serve immediately.  Serves 2.