Omelette Roll

The concept of an omelette roll first crossed my palette at a ladies brunch, the potluck type held by church groups and junior leagues South-wide, where each contributing member is secretly desperate for their contribution to be the star of the show. Great care is taken to make it appear both lovely and effortless. One arrives fully prepared to share (or theatrically withhold) her recipe. Chatter surrounds the dish. Plates clutched expectantly. Ladies making audible noises of delight while eating. Dismay expressed when it is gone. Wistful desires for a second helping. Eagerness for it to be recreated in the future.

The omelette roll--brought forth at just such a Bible study gathering some years ago--had this precise effect. It is essentially a great mess of eggs and cream, beaten and baked to firmness, then wound up like a jelly roll cake and sliced just as pleasantly. The whole idea is perfect for a bake-and-take occasion, because it is a pretty low-maintenance dish that serves a crowd: no eggs to order; no messy skillet; no gummy casserole.

And the beauty of it is, you can fill it with just about anything you like. Sometimes on the weekends, I want a breakfast to sit down to, to eat slowly with a fork. I need to break out of my regular rut of scrambled whites on a piece of toast, swallowed almost without chewing as I race out the door to work at 4:45. I want to slow down and have a real adult morning.

This is the perfect little dish. It can serve 1 or 2, can be breakfast lunch or dinner, and can be stuffed with whatever manner of items you have in your fridge--anything you would throw in an omelette or frittata on the stovetop.

Omelette Roll

serves 1-2; takes about 20-25 minutes

1 oz cream cheese, soft

3 Tbsp milk

1/2 Tbsp flour

3 eggs

salt & pepper

1-2 tsp Dijon mustard

1/2 cup shredded cheese (of your choice)

toppings to sprinkle (for me, this time, it was chopped tomatoes and scallions)

1. Preheat oven to 375º. Line a small rectangular baking sheet (I used 6x9, which worked well, but would be the upper end of size you want) with parchment or foil and spray or grease well.
2. Whisk together cream cheese, milk, and flour until smooth. Add eggs and beat well, then pour into prepared pan. Bake for about 15 minutes, until eggs are puffed and set (jiggle the pan--you don't want the eggs to shake). Keep oven on.
3. Remove from oven and pull paper/foil out of the pan. Working quickly, spread with mustard, sprinkle most of cheese and add toppings. Roll from one short side, ending with seam down, and reposition so roll is in center of paper/foil. Top with remaining cheese and return to oven for another 3-5 minutes, until cheese is melty.