Ingredients and initial preparation
For one portion, use two eggs, 80 g of fresh spinach, one teaspoon of olive oil, one tablespoon of water, and salt and pepper to taste. Add one tablespoon of grated cheese to the filling if desired. Wash the spinach and drain well. Prepare a bowl, fork and small non-stick frying pan. Allow five minutes for preparation and around eight on the hob. The volume of leaves visibly decreases during cooking.
Cook the leaves before adding eggs
Heat half the oil over medium-low heat. Add the spinach and stir for two to three minutes until wilted. If it releases liquid, allow it to evaporate before continuing. Transfer the leaves to a plate. This step helps prevent excess water mixing with the eggs as the omelette forms. The leaves need not dry out completely or darken; simply remove the free moisture remaining in the pan.
Prepare the egg base
Beat eggs with water and a little salt and pepper until whites and yolks combine. Add the remaining oil to the pan and spread it. Pour in the eggs and let a layer begin forming underneath. With a spatula, gently pull cooked edges towards the centre, tilting the pan so liquid egg fills the gaps. Work over moderate heat to avoid an excessively dark base.
Fill, fold and finish
When the surface is almost set, spread spinach over one half and add cheese if using. Fold the other half over with the spatula. Cook another one or two minutes over low heat, turning carefully if needed, until no liquid egg remains inside. Transfer to a plate. If the first attempt tears, serve it as it is: the next may improve with less filling, a wider spatula or a more suitable pan size.
Adjust flavour without losing control
Accompany with bread or a separately prepared salad. Try chopped herbs or replace some spinach with previously cooked, drained mushrooms. Adding several wet ingredients directly to the mixture makes it harder to identify what changed the texture. Alter one thing at a time and record a combination you liked. The photograph is illustrative; the final appearance depends on pan size, thickness and the way the omelette is folded.
