WHY MASTER IT?

The French have a genius for cooking with eggs. They poach them, they use them in sauces, they whip them into soufflés. And they fold them into omelets, an excellent introduction to that great tradition.

Like much of French cuisine, the omelet represents the perfect intersection of a precise technique and a pristine ingredient. The more skilled the cook and the better the eggs, the more ethereal the result.

The omelet is such an icon that it is often held up as the test of a chef’s abilities. But it is also regarded as one of the fundamentals, among the first dishes Julia Child made on Boston public television for French cooking neophytes as she publicized “Mastering the Art of French Cooking.” Whether made by a professional or a novice, it is undeniably speedy. As Child once said, introducing the dish: “How about dinner in half a minute?”

So what makes an omelet uniquely French? It is the exacting technique of folding the eggs to yield tender, loose curds in the center and a delicate but firm exterior. That juxtaposition sets the omelet apart from Italian frittatas, Spanish tortillas and Persian kukus, which are cooked into flat, sliceable cakes. We give a classic omelet recipe here, and another for an omelet mousseline, a fluffy variation in which the whites are whipped and then added to the yolks.

An omelet can be made either savory or sweet, and although sweet omelets have all but fallen away these days, it might be time to resurrect them. After all, eggs can be seasoned with sugar and fruit or a syrupy jam as easily as with salt, onions and cheese; think of clafoutis, tarts and soufflés. Once you have mastered the basic technique, the variations are practically limitless.

1. A BRIEF HISTORY

   The omelet is ancient. Doubtlessly humans have eaten fried, beaten eggs since hens and other fowl were domesticated in the sixth century B.C. Romans had ovemele, eggs cooked with honey and pepper; Persians ate kuku, eggs fried with copious amounts of herbs. There were tortillas in early Spain, and frittatas in what would become Italy.

   All were fried cakes loaded with fillings — vegetables, meat, potatoes, spices and herbs — cooked on both sides until set, and then sliced so they could be eaten out of hand.



Stefano Bianchetti/Corbis, via Getty Images

2. But the fluffy French omelet we know is different. With its barely set eggs, it requires a spoon or fork to be eaten. The word, and variations of it, date to the mid-16th century — around the same time Catherine de Medici of Italy, who was married to King Henry II of France, is said to have introduced the fork to the French. Historians have speculated that the emergence of the fork and the evolution of the omelet may be intertwined.

   By the 17th century, the omelet entered the canon, appearing in La Varenne’s “Le Pâtissier François” (1653) as an aumelette. The arrival of better stoves with enclosed fires, in the 18th century, made it easier for cooks to prepare omelets because they could more easily regulate the heat. The omelet’s popularity has only grown and endured, making it a staple today around the world in restaurants and home kitchens alike.

   From top, “Mound of Butter” by Antoine Vollon (1833-1900) and an illustration from the French weekly magazine La Cuisine des Familles.

3. Equipment You'll Need

   1. Omelet pan If you don’t own a nonstick pan or a seasoned, carbon-steel omelet pan, now is the time to invest in a good one. It will be difficult to master an omelet in a stainless-steel pan or cast-iron skillet; those heavier pans are too hard to maneuver. Buy something easy to handle that adjusts to heat changes quickly.

   2. Spatula A heat-resistant rubber spatula is an excellent all-purpose kitchen tool. Here, you’ll use it for stirring and folding the eggs.

   3. The Sweethome, a product recommendations website owned by The New York Times Company, has guides to the best nonstick pans and spatulas.