Fritata-Omelet Debate

Recently, I have had to grapple with the difference between an Omelette and a Frittata.

I will examine this from Good Eats - the Food Network cooking show hosted by Alton Brown. Now, my boyfriend and I are religious followers of Mr.Brown, so when we watched the omelet-making episode I was floored.

The traditional 'omelet' as Alton calls it is technically 'The French Omelet' and is called so because of the technique in flipping, frying, and cooking the eggs. It is folded over, it's undercooked slightly in the middle, but the texture is out of this world. Growing up, we just had Saturday Morning Eggs, and our omelets were at the standard of an American Diner - much healthier, but texture-wise, very amateur.

It's roughly a ten step process, not kid-oriented, but easy enough for a twenty-something:

1. Crack warm eggs in a bowl, add salt, blend with a fork - this is essential for the texture

2. Heat a 10-inch non stick aluminum pan over medium-high

3. Pour eggs and sir vigorously with a rubber spatula for 5 seconds. et them scramble and settle a bit.

4. Now, swirl mixture so excess liquid pours onto pan.

5. Use spatula to clean eggs off the edge of the pan

6. DO NOT touch omelet for 10 seconds

7. Shake pan to loosen the eggs

8. Lift up the far edge of the pan and snap the omelet back towards you.

9.Use spatula to fold over 1/3 of the omelet

10. Slide and fold the omelet once again over onto the plate so that the omelet is a tri-fold. Coat with butter and chives, and serve!.

Making a French Omelet with my boyfriend the other night, with a hint of dill and parmesan cheese was heaven.

Now, a Fritata is the Italian Omelet, and the main difference from the French Omelet - it's finished off in the oven.

Alton's Recipe is as follows. Now go and eat some eggs!

In medium size bowl, using a fork, blend together eggs, Parmesan, pepper, and salt. Heat 12-inch non-stick, oven safe saute pan over medium high heat. Add butter to pan and melt. Add asparagus and ham to pan and saute for 2 to 3 minutes. Pour egg mixture into pan and stir with rubber spatula. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes or until the egg mixture has set on the bottom and begins to set up on top. Sprinkle with parsley.