Ingredients

serves 2

　　

Step 1

Make a plain French omelet with 4 eggs: Beat the eggs lightly, and season very lightly with salt and pepper. Heat a skillet (about 10 inches). Add a tablespoon of butter and shake the pan to allow it to run all over the base. When it starts to sizzle, but before it has had a chance to brown, pour in the eggs, stir a little, and when they start to set on the bottom, lift the edge up with a fork and tip the pan to allow the liquid from the top to run underneath. As soon as the eggs are no longer liquid but still very moist on top, remove the pan from the heat. Pour the prepared filling on one half of the omelet and fold the other half over the filling. Serve at once.

　　

Fillings for a 4-Egg Omelet

Step 2

Chicken Livers. Cut 3 chicken livers into small pieces, and sauté gently in a little butter for 2 or 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and a pinch of ground cinnamon.

　　

Step 3

Onions and Tomatoes. Sauté 1/2 chopped onion in 1 tablespoon vegetable oil until softened. Add 1 or 2 crushed garlic cloves. When the garlic just begins to color, add 3 skinned and chopped tomatoes. Season to taste with salt and pepper, or a pinch of ground chili pepper or chili flakes, and cook gently until the tomatoes are almost reduced to a pulp.

　　

Step 4

Spinach. Frozen spinach (defrosted), either leaf or chopped, will do. Fry 1 crushed garlic clove with 1/2–1 teaspoon ground coriander in 1 tablespoon butter or vegetable oil. Add about 2 ounces spinach and cook for a few minutes with the lid on until softened. Season with salt and pepper.

　　The New Book of Middle Eastern Food Copyright © 2000Knopf