This is one of those thick omelettes that may or may not slip out of the pan but is sliced in wedges like a cake. A few asparagus spears are cut in 2 or 3cm lengths, quickly boiled in salted water, drained and added to the eggs once beaten with salt, pepper and finely grated Parmesan. It’s cooked as usual over direct heat then placed under the overhead grill for a few minutes, just long enough for it to puff but not so long that it sets hard as it will continue to set away from the heat. I like it dredged in more Parmesan. It is delicious alone, with new potatoes or chips, also good with peas.
Serves 2
Prep: 10 min
Cook: 10 Min
4 or 5 asparagus spears
6 eggs
knob of butter
½ tbsp olive oil
50g piece Parmesan
Boil the kettle. Cut the asparagus in pieces working down from the tip, cutting approximately the length of the tip, setting aside the woody ends. Drop the asparagus into a pan of boiling salted water and boil for 2-3 minutes until tender to the point of a sharp knife. Drain. Crack the eggs into a mixing bowl, season lightly with salt and freshly grated black pepper. Finely grate about half the Parmesan over the top. Stir thoroughly. Melt the butter in a splash of olive oil, swirling it round your favourite non-stick frying pan placed over a medium heat. Heat the overhead grill, setting the shelf below so the frying pan can just fit underneath. Pour the egg into the frying pan, scatter the asparagus evenly into the egg and quickly grate more Parmesan over the top. Adjust the heat so the omelette sets on the base and you can see white around the edges. After a couple of minutes, slide the pan under the grill and cook for a few more minutes until just set and puffing around the edges. Slide onto a plate if you dare or cut from the pan in wedges. Dust with more Parmesan and tuck in.