Classic Folded Omelet - The Washington Post |

Jennifer Heffner for The Washington Post; food styling by Lisa Cherkasky for The Washington Post

Omelets are simple to make and easy to mess up, so we’re offering a recipe with a few smart tips to ensure success. Salting the eggs a little before cooking and then letting them finish setting off the heat helps ensure a tender result without overcooking.

For tips on how to turn this into a filled omelet see the VARIATION, below.

When you scale a recipe, keep in mind that cooking times and temperatures, pan sizes and seasonings may be affected, so adjust accordingly. Also, amounts listed in the directions will not reflect the changes made to ingredient amounts.

Break the eggs into a small bowl, season lightly with salt and pepper and, using a fork, lightly whisk to combine. Let them rest for at least 10 minutes (15 is even better) while you heat the skillet and prepare any possible fillings (see VARIATION). Salting in advance helps keep the eggs tender during cooking.

Heat an 8-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Be sure you give it enough time to ensure the eggs start cooking right away. A few drops of water flicked on the surface should skitter and evaporate immediately. Add the butter to melt, swirling it to coat the bottom and sides of the pan.

Pour the eggs into the skillet and let the mixture set for 10 to 20 seconds, then use a spatula to start agitating the mixture, stirring until some curds begin to form. Lift the edges of the coagulated egg and tilt the pan to let the uncooked egg fill in the gaps. Repeat the process as you work your way around the entire pan. This part should take no more than 60 to 90 seconds. When the omelet has set on the bottom but still looks slightly wet but not runny on top, pull the pan off the heat and cover it with a tightfitting lid or plate. Let rest until the eggs have reached your desired consistency, 1 to 2 minutes.

Use a spatula to fold the omelet in half and transfer to a plate. Sprinkle the herbs on top, if using, and serve hot.

VARIATION: You can use this recipe to make your choice of filled omelet. Vegetables will not cook through sufficiently in the omelet, so you’ll want to saute them first in butter or oil, over medium to medium-high heat. Transfer to a bowl, where you can mix with grated or crumbled cheese, if using. When the eggs are almost set, sprinkle your filling on half the omelet before removing from the heat and covering to rest. Then fold in half and serve.

Based on a recipe adapted by Andreas Viestad from "Eggs," by Michel Roux (John Wiley & Sons, 2006), as well as a recipe from “The Food Lab,” by J. Kenji López-Alt (W.W. Norton, 2015).

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