I love breakfast. It is so great to sit down in your pajamas, your hair up in a bun, and enjoy some yummy food, with the sun shining though the open windows, and a fresh smell of spring getting in. This should be an easy to fix, but also nutritious meal, to get you started, and I believe a great day starts with an amazing breakfast.
Today we had my favorite omelet , diced cucumbers and tomatoes drizzled with olive oil, fresh mozzarella cheese, bread with butter and jam, Turkish black tea, my favorite coffee , made with a cup of milk, 1 teaspoon of Nesquik, and 1 teaspoon of a good quality instant coffee, and mini pies .
My favorite breakfast experience is always in Turkey, preferably in some one's home, but if you don't have friends/relatives there, there are tons of breakfast places to choose from.. They have such an awesome way to fix it, the table pretty, clean and simple, full of many elegant small bowls filled with a variety of things: cucumbers, tomatoes, drizzled with good olive oil, white cheese, olives cured in olive oil, lemon juice, crushed red pepper and thyme; home made jams, butter, hazelnut spread, cured meats, eggs, yogurt, fresh bread, freshly squeezed orange juice, and fresh fruit.
Everything is served separate, in bowls, simple and fresh, and I love just to pick a little from each and gather it on my plate. Of course the famous Turkish black tea served in small glass cups brings everything together. There is something very special about this type of breakfast, and is my absolute favorite. [I am really not into a bowl of cereals breakfast. I just have cereals at night watching TV, for some reason]
If you ever find yourself in Turkey, please have a traditional breakfast. I am sure you will love it! This is what you do in Turkey: eat, eat, eat, anywhere, from the street corner to the upscale restaurants, everywhere will be a delicious experience, shop, shop, shop in Nisantasi, (best shopping experience is also in Istanbul; they know how to do this right), of course visit all the amazing historic sites, and get your hair done! If you ever wanted to try a new hair style and you were too afraid, or didn't trust a stylist can make your vision come true, then you have to do this while in Turkey, Istanbul more precisely. They are amazing! When living in Europe, Mom my sister and I would drive for 7 hours to Istanbul just to get our hair done. It is so worth it! Turkish women are always so stylish and love to have their make up and hair done professionally, so you will find hair salons at every corner. My favorite was Mos, in Nisantasi, but most of them will do a great job. And you will have the best blowout too. Oh, I really miss Istanbul now. It must be my favorite city in the world!
One of my favorite breakfasts is omelette. Simple and fast to make, cheap and versatile. Never get bored of it.
Ingredients for one portion:
3 large eggs, organic cage free
salt and pepper
1/2 tablespoon butter, at room temperature
1/2 tablespoon butter cut in small cubes and frozen. I always have frozen cubes of butter ready for omelettes in my freezer. But don't worry, it only takes 10 minutes to freeze, so you can just put the cut cubes in the freezer before you start making breakfast.
cheese : I prefer grated Parmesan, Monterey Jack, or Mozzarella, about 1/4 cup. Of course you can add as much as you like.
Break the eggs in a medium sized bowl, carefully not to leave any shells in. If you do get some shell in, the easiest way to take it out is using the half shell of the egg as a scoop. Fingers just dont' work. Add a pinch of salt and pepper, and with a fork beat for a minute or two, at a moderate pace (about 60 strokes is perfect). Do not use a blender or mixer for this step, you don't want to over beat them.
If you will use a salty cheese, be careful to add less salt, so that the omelette does not turn out too salty. Sometimes I also add different herbs and spices, like paprika, dill, oregano. You can try different combinations, and find your favorite.
You need to have everything on hand and act pretty quick.
Heat a 8 inch frying pan on medium-low, for 5-6 minutes; add the room temperature butter (cold works too), and when it is foaming add the eggs. Turn the heat on medium-high. Throw in the frozen butter, and using the fork, mix the eggs, like when you do scrabbled eggs, bringing the margins towards the middle, letting the uncooked egg get into the empty side of the pan. Do this for 30-40 seconds, until the eggs are almost cooked, but still a little runny. Spread the egg curd into an even layer, but without pressing on it hard.
The frozen butter and not over beating and overcooking the eggs is the secret and trick for a fluffy, creamy and soft omelette. The proteins of the eggs resemble lets say to cooked spaghetti. The frozen butter melts slower, having time to coat all the protein fibers in the eggs before they coagulate, helping them not to stick to each other and become a hard ball of protein fibers, so they are loose and that's why you get a much fluffier omelette. Just like you add oil to spaghetti so it doesn't stick.
Sprinkle the cheeses all over the top, and using a spatula carefully fold the omelette in half, ending up with a sandwich of egg and cheese. Turn the heat off, and let it stand for another minute, so the cheese can melt.
The best would be to serve it on a heated plate.
I like having this simple cheese omelette with fresh bread and some tomato salad. Just cut the tomatoes in smaller pieces, season with little salt and extra virgin olive oil.
Love how the melted cheese starts running when you cut in. Yumm
Enjoy this hearty, nutritious and high in protein meal as a perfect breakfast or any time of the day, as lunch or quick snack.
