Author Notes: Whereas a classic French omelet is soft through and through, with as little browning as possible, the souffl’omelet has a butter-bubbled exterior that girds a creamy yet airy, super puffed middle.
In this recipe, that inner layer is even more velvety due to the addition of whipped ricotta. It’s lighter and airier than the untouched cheese, which means it’ll melt into your omelet and swoop beautifully on any pieces of toast you’re eating alongside. Top your eggs—and that piece of bread—with some tomatoes you roasted while the eggs were cooking and you’ve got a complete meal, crispy, creamy, and crunchy, too. No compromises necessary, all of your egg desires met.
The omelet is adapted from Donna Hay’s Puffed Cheese Omelet. —Sarah Jampel
Serves: 2 to 3
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 10 min
Ingredients
For the roasted tomatoes and the whipped ricotta:
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1
cup cherry or grape tomatoes, rinsed (halve any large ones)
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3
tablespoons olive oil, divided
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1/2
cup ricotta cheese
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Zest of 1/2 lemon
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Salt and pepper, for seasoning
For the puffy omelet:
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3
eggs, separated
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2
tablespoons cream or milk
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2
tablespoons finely chopped scallions, plus more for garnish
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Edible flowers (like chive blossoms or radish or pea flowers), for getting fancy (optional)
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Toast, for serving
Directions
For the roasted tomatoes and the whipped ricotta:
- Start by making the tomatoes. Heat the oven to 400° F. Spread the tomatoes on a baking sheet that can hold them in a single layer. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons olive oil and season with salt. Roast, tossing gently on occasion, until they begin to shrivel and caramelize, about 25 to 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, whip the ricotta. Blend the ricotta, lemon zest, and 1 tablespoon of olive oil in the bowl of a food processor or in the Aer Disc Container until the cheese is very smooth, about 1 to 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
For the puffy omelet:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together egg yolks, cream or milk, salt, pepper, and scallions.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Next, use a spatula to gently fold the egg whites into the egg yolk mixture, taking care not to deflate the whites.
- In an 8-inch pan, preferably nonstick, melt the butter over medium heat. When the butter starts to foam, pour in the egg mixture and cook for 5 minutes, until the bottom is golden brown. Spoon about 1/4 cup of the ricotta onto one side of the omelette. (Don’t worry about spreading it out too much—it’ll melt evenly as the omelet continues to heat.)
- Using a sturdy spatula (I find that a fish spatula works well), gently fold the bare side of the omelet over the cheese-covered side.
- Cook for 1 to 2 more minutes, then carefully slide onto a plate. Top with the roasted tomatoes, additional scallions, and chive blossoms or flowering peas, if you’re feeling fancy. Serve the rest of the ricotta on slices of toasted bread.
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Photo by Rocky Luten
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Photo by Rocky Luten