Omelet 101

If you never took Omelets 101, here is the short course: You must have the right pan, thoroughly preheated over a moderately hot burner. You must have a decently large glob of butter and a no-fear attitude.

The pan must be of heavyweight metal, preferably aluminum with a nonstick coating. It must have sloping rather than steep sides, so that the eggs can readily be slipped out and flipped over to form a neat little package on the warmed serving plate. An 8-inch pan is perfect for a two- or three-egg omelet; a 10-inch pan will accommodate a five- or six-egg omelet that will satisfy two or three light eaters or one teenage boy.

Allow the pan to heat until a drop of water will dance upon it - not just sizzle. With a fork, whisk the eggs together briefly - just enough to incorporate the yolks and whites - with a pinch of salt, a tablespoon of milk or water or nothing at all.

Put butter into the pan, and when it has foamed and subsided, pour in eggs and allow them to set a minute; then begin gently stirring and pulling the set eggs away from the sides of the pan toward the center, so the uncooked part can flow underneath.

When the eggs are set but still moist on top, lay 1/4 to 1/2 cup of your chosen filling down the center of the omelet, perpendicular to the handle. With a spatula, flip one-third of the omelet - the part closest to the handle - over the filling. Now grasp the handle from from underneath, tip the pan up and over and slip the omelet out of the pan onto the plate, flipping it over one more time as you go. Your omelet has been folded in thirds, like a proper business letter.