# frittata vs. omelette



## Paulfromitaly

Hello,

In Italian we distinguish between frittata and omelette, the latter being a wrapped and thinner frittata filled with cheese, vegetables and other kind of stuff.
However it seems like there's only one translation for both of them:* omelette*.
Am I right?

Cheers.






FRITTATA






OMELETTE


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## AlabamaBoy

Paul, the first picture looks like a quiche to me. More pictures.


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## the Grim Reaper

I have some cookbooks in English and they tend to use the Italian _frittata_ when they mean our kind of egg dish. But I don't know if that is common use outside cookbooks ;P


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## Paulfromitaly

AlabamaBoy said:


> Paul, the first picture looks like a quiche to me.



I'm not sure I know what a quiche is, bit I believe we call it "torta salata" and it's quite different from a frittata.
Have you ever eaten it over here?


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## AlabamaBoy

Paul, hai ragione. Ho trovato questo:
In cucina la *quiche* è un tipo di torta salata inizialmente tipica della cucina francese.
Purtroppo, non ho mangiato frittata in Italia. Non ho visto una frittata in America.


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## You little ripper!

In Australia we call a 'frittata' a 'frittata' and an 'omelette' an 'omlette'.   Here are recipes for 'frittata' and from the same magazine recipes for omelette.


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## brian

I've never seen or heard _frittata_ by anyone in the States. Obviously when I was living in Italy, I said either _frittata_ or _omelette_ accordingly.

On the (very!) rare occasions that I myself had to refer to a _frittata_ here in the States (for example, when telling a story), I said either _frittata_ or _Italian omelette_.

I think it's important to distinguish, not only because they look and (usually) taste different, but also because we eat omelettes for breakfast while Italians eat frittatas for dinner (or lunch).


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## Paulfromitaly

Charles Costante said:


> In Australia we call a 'frittata' a 'frittata' and an 'omelette' an 'omlette'.   Here are recipes for 'frittata' and from the same magazine recipes for omelette.


That's cool, although I'm not sure everyone in the US or UK would know what a frittata is..


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## Hermocrates

Possibly imprecisely (but then, cooking has never been my forte) I actually refer to what you call "frittata" as _omelette_, and to what you call "omelette" as _crêpe. 
_


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## brian

Take a look here. Many of those you will see in just about every diner in the US (at least in Chicago and New Orleans)--e.g. western, denver, mexican, etc. as well as US-only variations--but many of those I have never seen at any diner, e.g. Indian omelette or frittata. I suspect, however, that if you go to a traditional Indian or Italian restaurant, you might find them.

Rye, _crêpes_, both in France and here, _must_ contain the super-thin pancake-like part! See here. They usually contain marmelade, nutella, etc. but salty crepes can also contain omelette ingredients (ham, egg, cheese, bacon, etc.).


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## the Grim Reaper

нєrмocrαтєѕ said:


> Possibly imprecisely (but then, cooking has never been my forte) I actually refer to what you call "frittata" as _omelette_, and to what you call "omelette" as _crêpe.
> _



A _crêpe_ contains flour, even if not much, whereas neither frittata nor omelette do. Still, the filling you use for an omelette could be a good filling for a crêpe and vice-versa


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## Hermocrates

the Grim Reaper said:


> A _crêpe_ contains flour, even if not much, whereas neither frittata nor omelette do. Still, the filling you use for an omelette could be a good filling for a crêpe and vice-versa



Ha! Good point. Thanks! (And thanks to Brian as well). 

Back to the main topic, i.e. frittata vs omelette, I did a little research and found this:



> In the strictest sense, the difference boils down to a matter of folding in a filling rather than mixing it in. Omelets traditionally have the egg mixture cooked and folded around a filling, while a frittata just mixes it all up, cooked in a mishmash combination all at once. [Source]


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## brian

A _frittata_ is also broiled/finished in the oven, if I'm not mistaken, whereas an omelette is made completely on the stovetop.


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## MStraf

brian8733 said:


> I've never seen or heard _frittata_ by anyone in the States...


come to San Francisco  I can take you to restaurants where frittata is a common word, even though I still prefer the one I make myself at home (I love cooking, and I love have friends for dinner: interested?) I heard frittata in Chicago and New York as well, but I agree with you, the word (and the meaning) is known only by food conoisseurs.

The word _Frittata_, like pizza or any other "exotic" food, is not traslated, and you can find many receipes in the internet, like this one for example (it is a good one)
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/frittata-recipe/index.html
but in almost all receipes the frittata is baked in the oven, instead of using the traditional Italian way (frying pan on a low heat stovetop burner)

Anyhow: Paul, please, non mi confondere la frittata con l'omelette, sono due cose completamente diverse (e il quiche e' una terza cosa ancora)


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## Paulfromitaly

MStraf said:


> Anyhow: Paul, please, non mi confondere la frittata con l'omelette, sono due cose completamente diverse (e il quiche e' una terza cosa ancora)


I do know they are, that's why I'd like to find a different translation for those words..


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## MStraf

I do know that you do know  
Please do not translate "frittata"


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## the Grim Reaper

At the end of the day, I think what we've come up with is:

Either leave them as they are *frittata* and *omelette*
Or use some kind of explanation such as *Italian omelette*

Am I right?


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## phillyitalianstudent

Just want to add that in the U.S., at least in the big cities on the East Coast and West Coast, a fritatta is a fritatta and an omlette is an omlette.  

Although fritatta is less common than pizza here, it is no more foreign as a word.  

For that matter, an omlette is less common than a fried egg, but we still say call it an omlette.


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## brian

To those of you in the US (Philly, San Fran..), are the frittatas served at typical breakfast diners or are they usually at Italian-style restaurants?

The reason I ask is that the _only_ time I ever eat omelettes away from home is when I go to cheap, local diners--i.e. very southern (in New Orleans) or very midwestern/possibly with a Mexican flare (in Chicago)*--and I've never seen a frittata on a menu. I think you know what I mean by "cheap diner"--not necessarily truckstop, but definitely far from European.

*I'm from New Orleans but went to college in Chicago.


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## kalamazoo

And we often spell the word "omelet" not "omelette" in the US


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## phillyitalianstudent

You won't find a fritatta in any American-style diner (i.e, a "greasy spoon"), nor in any of the mass-market chains (e.g., Denny's, etc.). I believe, however, that Starbucks has added a fritatta to its food menu.  So, although you will probably never find a fritatta on the menu in a "diner" in America, it is not all that unusual to find it on the menu in a "cafe."


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## You little ripper!

brian8733 said:


> To those of you in the US (Philly, San Fran..), are the frittatas served at typical breakfast diners or are they usually at Italian-style restaurants?
> 
> The reason I ask is that the _only_ time I ever eat omelettes away from home is when I go to cheap, local diners--i.e. very southern (in New Orleans) or very midwestern/possibly with a Mexican flare (in Chicago)*--and I've never seen a frittata on a menu. I think you know what I mean by "cheap diner"--not necessarily truckstop, but definitely far from European.
> 
> *I'm from New Orleans but went to college in Chicago.


I can't speak for the U.S. but in Australia you can get a 'frittata' all  sorts of restaurants and cafes; they don't have to be Italian.  You will also find it on the menu in both cheap and expensive ones.


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## MStraf

brian8733 said:


> To those of you in the US (Philly, San Fran..), are the frittatas served at typical breakfast diners or are they usually at Italian-style restaurants? ...


In San Francisco/Bay Area you do not find frittata in cheap diners, mostly in classy to medium-priced restaurants and not necessary Italians (actually, there are really few Italian restaurants left around, it is mostly California-fusion cuisine). It is usually served for brunch, or as an appetizer, cut in small pieces.
Oh well... here it is my personal recipe (it is indeed a creation of mine):
http://www.p2pforum.it/forum/showthread.php?t=186778


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## Paulfromitaly

It looks like somewhere in the US and in AUS frittata is used and understood, however I've never heard it in UK..


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## You little ripper!

Paulfromitaly said:


> It looks like somewhere in the US and in AUS frittata is used and understood, however I've never heard it in UK..


'Frittata' appears to be used in the UK too.

Links


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## Hermocrates

Charles Costante said:


> 'Frittata' appears to be used in the UK too.
> 
> Links



Another search option: if you try google.co.uk and search for "pages from the UK only" you get these results.


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## You little ripper!

нєrмocrαтєѕ said:


> Another search option: if you try google.co.uk and search for "pages from the UK only" you get these results.


I noticed  amongst those links that Gordon Ramsay has a recipe for 'frittata' (he probably has many ), and because his TV show is seen in the UK, the States and Australia, a lot of people would know the term.


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## Paulfromitaly

Charles Costante said:


> I noticed  amongst those links that Gordon Ramsay has a recipe for 'frittata' (he probably has many ), and because his TV show is seen in the UK, the States and Australia, a lot of people would know the term.


It means that folks who know a thing or two about Italian cuisine are familiar with frittata.
It appears like I used to hang out at the wrong restaurants


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## NewYorktoLA

Brian,
The frittatas in Los Angeles and NY (city, upstate) are usually found in trattorias or cafes. They become somewhat popular in Los Angeles after some trattorias started opening up in the early-mid 1990s, usually in the kind of establishments that also specialize in serving panini..


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## brian

I understand now the likely reason as to why I've never seen a frittata on a menu in the states. If I'm going to eat eggs somewhere, I'm going to go to a cheap, local diner (I'm a college kid, what can I say), where I can have my eggs, hashbrowns, coffee--the works. So basically, in establishments like that, there's not much place for anything non-American, except perhaps Mexican omelets in Chicago (because of the huge Mexican influence).

I assume you have to go to more of a nicer café (especially Italian or European themed) or bistro type place to find frittatas. These are few and far between in New Orleans, and I never go to those kinds of places anyway. 

Trattorias also tend to be kind of expensive, so I usually avoid those.


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## Spiritoso78

Ciao,

non so negli USA si preferisca usare lo spagnolismo EGG TORTILLA....l'ho sentito dire da dei turisti americani a Venezia


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## MStraf

Spiritoso78 said:


> ... non so negli USA si preferisca usare lo spagnolismo EGG TORTILLA....l'ho sentito dire da dei turisti americani a Venezia


"egg tortilla" is a mexican-fusion recipe, basically a tortilla with an egg (usually fried) on top, sometimes with ham, beans and salsa (the more common, and more expensive, _uevos rancheros_)
Please do not listen to American tourists... some of them are educated and knowledgeable, but the louder they speak, the less they know  Asking for "egg tortilla" in Venice, what a joke...  Probably they are the same who ask for "fettuccine Alfredo" and think that pepperoni are sausages.

@Brian: you got the point. At the moment in the US the frittata is still an _exotic _food, we have to wait to see it in less expensive establishments (in fact, it is not expensive to make)


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## kalamazoo

I don't think frittata is an exotic food or word any more in the US. I went to the dentist today and was looking at a perfectly ordinary women's magazine (not highbrow or anything) and they had a nice frittata recipe in the back, with the word frittata in the headline and in the text, with no indication it was anything other than a perfectly ordinary word.  (It wasn't italicized or translated or explained or anything).  I tore out the recipe, for frittata with asparagus, and thought I would try it. I'll let you know how it turns out!  Marco, your recipe looks good too!


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## MStraf

kalamazoo said:


> I don't think frittata is an exotic food or word any more in the US. I went to the dentist today and was looking at a perfectly ordinary women's magazine (not highbrow or anything) and they had a nice frittata recipe in the back,  ...


well, you can find _frittata _recipes in almost every food-related American web sites, but that does not mean you can find a _frittata _in the menus of almost all American restaurants 

Thanks for your kind words, that recipe is becoming a hit among my friends, that I am converting to the joy of Italian fine cooking.


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## cyranobob

brian8733 said:


> I've never seen or heard _frittata_ by anyone in the States. Obviously when I was living in Italy, I said either _frittata_ or _omelette_ accordingly.
> 
> On the (very!) rare occasions that I myself had to refer to a _frittata_ here in the States (for example, when telling a story), I said either _frittata_ or _Italian omelette_.
> 
> I think it's important to distinguish, not only because they look and (usually) taste different, but also because we eat omelettes for breakfast while Italians eat frittatas for dinner (or lunch).



I am a native of Los Angeles. Out here it is not uncommon to see 'frittata' on the menu in many diners or 'coffee shops'. I have always known it is some kind of Italian egg dish, or version of an omelette. The Hispanic influence out here is almost entirely Mexican (my grandparents are all from Mexico) so it is not generally known that 'tortilla' is an egg dish from Spain, although there are many who are aware of this. Most people in LA, whether they are ethnic in original or typical 'anglo', are familiar with mexican tortillas, and usually can tell you their preference (i.e. corn or 'flour').


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## Paulfromitaly

In my area people eat "frittata col loertis" (luppolo) - Has anyone heard of "common hop frittata/omelette" in any English speaking countries?


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## london calling

Paulfromitaly said:


> In my area people eat "frittata col loertis" (luppolo) - Has anyone heard of "common hop frittata/omelette" in any English speaking countries?


No, we wouldn't waste good beer-brewing hops to make a bloody omelette!

Seriously, the only thing I think we do with hops in the UK is make beer (as far as I know).


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## Paulfromitaly

london calling said:


> No, we wouldn't waste good beer-brewing hops to make a bloody omelette!
> 
> Seriously, the only thing I think we do with hops in the UK is make beer (as far as I know).


Trust me, it's really tasty


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## You little ripper!

london calling said:


> No, we wouldn't waste good beer-brewing hops to make a bloody omelette!
> 
> Seriously, the only thing I think we do with hops in the UK is make beer (as far as I know).


Or to make brewer's yeast (rich in B vitamins, chromium and other minerals ).


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## london calling

Charles Costante said:


> Or to make brewer's yeast (rich in B vitamins, chromium and other minerals ).


I didn't know that - good on yer, cobber!

PS: I find "frittata" a little pretentious when used by a BE speaker (did someone mention Gordon Ramsey?). Jamie Oliver calls them "posh omelettes"!


PPS: Paul, quando vengo a Brescia mi offri una cena a base di fittata col loertis?)


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## Paulfromitaly

london calling said:


> PS: I find "frittata" a little pretentious when used by a BE speaker (did someone mention Gordon Ramsey?). Jamie Oliver calls them "posh omelettes"!
> 
> 
> PPS: Paul, quando vengo a Brescia mi offri una cena a base di fittata col loertis?)



Do you mean British people couldn't tell an omelette from a frittata? 

PPS: Anytime


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## london calling

Paulfromitaly said:


> Do you mean British people couldn't tell an omelette from a frittata?



Try asking my mother what a _frittata_ is! Actually, I'll do just that... and then tell you what she thought it might mean (the mind boggles, or hers would, I'm sure)!


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## rrose17

Paulfromitaly said:


> In my area people eat "frittata col loertis" (luppolo) - Has anyone heard of "common hop frittata/omelette" in any English speaking countries?


In Monteal you can find frittatas in many restaraunts but then I don't know if we count as an English speaking country.  I think omelettes would be for breakfast/brunch or maybe lunch but probably not for supper in a restaurant. Frittata would be served for lunch or supper and probably not for breakfast. That being said the words as our cuisine are rather fluid and we're nowhere near as strict or narrow in our definitions as are the Italians or many Europeans.


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## Paulfromitaly

rrose17 said:


> In Monteal you can find frittatas in many restaraunts but then* I don't know if we count as an English speaking country.*  .



Why not??


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## You little ripper!

london calling said:


> Try asking my mother what a _frittata_ is! Actually, I'll do just that... and then tell you what she thought it might mean (the mind boggles, or hers would, I'm sure)!


If she's been watching Jamie Oliver (famous London chef), she would know what it is. Well, maybe not.


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## curiosone

phillyitalianstudent said:


> Just want to add that in the U.S., at least in the big cities on the East Coast and West Coast, a fritatta is a fritatta and an omlette is an omlette.
> 
> Although fritatta is less common than pizza here, it is no more foreign as a word.
> 
> For that matter, an omlette is less common than a fried egg, but we still say call it an omlette.



I didn't grow up on either coast, and the only Italian words I knew (growing up) were "Pizza, Mamma Mia, and spaghetti" (and maybe:  macaroni). But English speakers have the lovely habit of adding foreign words of this sort directly to their language.  So now (in America) I hear people saying words like "pasta" and "ciao" quite normally. 

I've seen Italians make frittate only in the pan (turning it) - although I've also seen it put in the oven (to finish cooking).  All I can say is that I find the omelette more digestible than the frittata (but then I have Norman origins, so maybe it's genetic ).  However I'd never eat an omelette for breakfast .


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## joanvillafane

I'm so glad to see curiosone refer to the method  of "flipping" the frittata  - (a few earlier posts mentioned only about baking in the oven) - that is the ONLY way I've ever seen it done in my family.  You need the right size pan, the right size plate to cover the pan, and the right flick of the wrist!  It's an art!  And I will also say that only a certain type of restaurant (either Italian restaurant or trendy haute cuisine) here will probably have "frittata" on the menu.


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## Odysseus54

joanvillafane said:


> I'm so glad to see curiosone refer to the method  of "flipping" the frittata  - (a few earlier posts mentioned only about baking in the oven) - that is the ONLY way I've ever seen it done in my family.  You need the right size pan, the right size plate to cover the pan, and the right flick of the wrist!  It's an art!  And I will also say that only a certain type of restaurant (either Italian restaurant or trendy haute cuisine) here will probably have "frittata" on the menu.



Up to 3/4" thick, flipping is fine. To flip successfully, though, your egg must have congealed , so that you don't find yourself with 'egg on your face' ( that's obviously the origin of the idiom , by the way ) 

 If you want to get into thicker stuff and maintain your dignity, there's nothing wrong in using the oven grill.  I use that method with the "tortilla española", 1 1/2" - 2" thick - the evolutionary link between the manly 'frittata' and the effeminate 'quiche'.

'Frittata' in Italian, with its variant 'frittatina' , covers pretty much all pan-fried egg dishes - an 'omelette' is a 'frittata ripiena', and even 'scrambled eggs' , especially when you add other ingredients ( sausage, onion, tomato etc ) can be a 'frittata'.


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## curiosone

joanvillafane said:


> I'm so glad to see curiosone refer to the method  of "flipping" the frittata  - (a few earlier posts mentioned only about baking in the oven) - that is the ONLY way I've ever seen it done in my family.  You need the right size pan, the right size plate to cover the pan, and the right flick of the wrist!  It's an art!  And I will also say that only a certain type of restaurant (either Italian restaurant or trendy haute cuisine) here will probably have "frittata" on the menu.



I don't really agree about scrambled eggs.  A frittata or omelette, once poured into the pan, is not mixed in the pan, like scrambled eggs are.


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## joanvillafane

Hi curiosone, I think it was Odysseus who mentioned scrambled eggs.  And, Ody, I may beg to differ with you on the 3/4" limit - we can (and I have) gotten it thicker than that by tilting the pan and then flipping!


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## curiosone

joanvillafane said:


> Hi curiosone, I think it was Odysseus who mentioned scrambled eggs.  And, Ody, I may beg to differ with you on the 3/4" limit - we can (and I have) gotten it thicker than that by tilting the pan and then flipping!



SO sorry, Joan!  I meant to reply to Odysseus' comment!  And I agree that thicker "frittate" can be turned over.  I've seen friends slide them onto a plate, so they wouldn't break while turning them over
_
(not that that makes me like frittate any better_)


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## london calling

You little ripper! said:


> If she's been watching Jamie Oliver (famous London chef), she would know what it is. Well, maybe not.


He's from the same part of London as me, a local lad. And my mother can't stand him, for some reason or other!

PS: I must say I love his definition of a frittata in the link I posted - _posh omelette's _hilarious!


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## elfa

Really interesting discussion going on here... 

Jo, I'm afraid your mum may have avoided the deluge of cookery programmes on the TV in the UK.  "Frittata" is a pretty common term here and while many people might not know exactly how you make it, they would probably know that it's Italian and that it's an eggy-omelette-y concoction. Never heard "posh omelette" used other than by the ubiquitous Jamie 

As for making it, as Brian I think it was pointed out way back on page 1, isn't the essential difference between a "frittata" and "omelette" that you finish off the "frittata" in the oven? (I know because I don't have a oven-proof frying pan, so have to slightly cheat on that part...).

As for terminology, I concur with our Aussie and American friends that "frittata" and "omelette" are the two "translations" here.


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## Paulfromitaly

elfa said:


> As for making it, as Brian I think it was pointed out way back on page 1, isn't the essential difference between a "frittata" and "omelette" that you finish off the "frittata" in the oven?



My mum doesn't finish it off in the oven..
She makes both frittata and omelette, her frittata being thicker, softer and with different stuffing from an omelette.

http://homecooking.about.com/od/cookingfaqs/f/faqomelet.htm



> *What is the difference between an omelet and a frittata?*
> 
> In the strictest sense, the difference boils down to a matter of folding  in a filling rather than mixing it in. Omelets traditionally have the  egg mixture cooked and folded around a filling, while a frittata just  mixes it all up, cooked in a mishmash combination all at once. Frittatas  are often served at room temperature, making them perfect for brunches  or larger groups.


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## elfa

Got it 

Edit: Anyone ever tried frittata with prawns/gamberi? It's not as counter-intuitive as it sounds, and great with a dash of lemon, parsley and chilli!


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## Paulfromitaly

elfa said:


> Got it
> 
> Edit: Anyone ever tried frittata with prawns/gamberi? It's not as counter-intuitive as it sounds, and great with a dash of lemon, parsley and chilli!


I haven't 
My mum's favourite ingredients for frittata are usually a mix of cheese, vegetables (artichoke, asparagus, spinach, nettle, hop) and cold cuts, but maybe that's because we're Northerners and we tend to prefer cheese and meat to fish.


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## Odysseus54

joanvillafane said:


> Hi curiosone, I think it was Odysseus who mentioned scrambled eggs.  And, Ody, I may beg to differ with you on the 3/4" limit - we can (and I have) gotten it thicker than that by tilting the pan and then flipping!



What I said is 
_
If you want to get into thicker stuff and maintain your dignity, there's nothing wrong in using the oven grill._

Working thick frittatas on the range alone is possible but difficult, and more so on electric ranges - gas ranges are a lot better.  "Cheating" by using the oven grill, that I am sure our ancestors would have used too , had they had it, avoids the two risks of a) losing the frittata or part of it due to a premature flipping maneuver and b) burning the frittata when trying to thicken/solidify it before flipping.

The result is not 'wrong'.


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## curiosone

I still prefer omelettes!


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## Einstein

> Seriously, the only thing I think we do with hops in the UK is make beer (as far as I know).





You little ripper! said:


> Or to make brewer's yeast (rich in B vitamins, chromium and other minerals ).


I think you're talking about another use of yeast, not of hops! Correct me if I'm wrong, though.

Hops can also be used to make a "hop pillow" to help you sleep better. Never seen one, though...


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## Paulfromitaly

Einstein said:


> I think you're talking about another use of yeast, not of hops! Correct me if I'm wrong, though.
> 
> Hops can also be used to make a "hop pillow" to help you sleep better. Never seen one, though...


Ever heard of "loertis" in Milan?


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## Bella63

the Grim Reaper said:


> At the end of the day, I think what we've come up with is:
> 
> Either leave them as they are *frittata* and *omelette*
> Or use some kind of explanation such as *Italian omelette*
> 
> Am I right?



I am born and bred in the UK, and for me the omelette is an egg mixture with ingredients of ones choice put in the pan during cooking. Having lived in Italy (Florence and Milan) for 30 years a "frittata" mean the same thing. I lived for 2 years in Paris and travelled in Normandy and Brittany where omelettes are a speciality (quiche has nothing in common with this). An "omelette" was what I always considered to be a "frittata" in Italian, a simple (!!!) omelette in English. Admittedely the Normans prepararation of omelettes quite differs in comparison to Italians and English recipes.
Bella



Paulfromitaly said:


> Hello,
> 
> In Italian we distinguish between _frittata_ and _omelette_, the latter being a wrapped and thinner frittata filled with cheese, vegetables and other kind of stuff.
> However it seems like there's only one translation for both of them:* omelette*.
> Am I right?
> 
> 
> 
> Cheers.


It a bit like pizza isn't it? There can be so many variations to the  original recipice (pizza a taglio, alta bassa ecc ecc) but at the end of  it all it is just pizza with any kind of variation to the orginal  version!
As I said in a previous post, and as a vegetarian living in Paris for 2  years I ordered quite a few omelettes and I can assure all of my fellow  forum users that those omelettes looked  and tasted exactly like any  frittata I had eaten in my previous 9 years in Florence.
The only difference I found was in Normandy (Mont St. Michel) where the  preparation of omelettes was slightly different. They first prepared the  egg mixture (solely with the use of the egg yolks) with the other  ingredients (or in some cases added them in the pan (depending on the  type of omelette) and at a later stage added the egg whites resulting in  a fluffier and softer omelette.
to me it is just a variation of the orignal recipe
Bella


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## You little ripper!

Einstein said:


> I think you're talking about another use of yeast, not of hops! Correct me if I'm wrong, though.


Einstein, according to this  website _there are two primary sources from which nutritional yeast is grown: 1) Brewer’s yeast is grown from hops
(a by-product of brewing beer), and 2) Primary grown yeast is grown from whey, blackstrap molasses or wood pulp.
_


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## curiosone

Bella63 said:


> I am born and bred in the UK, and for me the omelette is an egg mixture with ingredients of ones choice put in the pan during cooking. Having lived in Italy (Florence and Milan) for 30 years a "frittata" mean the same thing. I lived for 2 years in Paris and travelled in Normandy and Brittany where omelettes are a speciality (quiche has nothing in common with this). An "omelette" was what I always considered to be a "frittata" in Italian, a simple (!!!) omelette in English. Admittedely the Normans prepararation of omelettes quite differs in comparison to Italians and English recipes.
> Bella
> 
> It a bit like pizza isn't it? There can be so many variations to the  original recipice (pizza a taglio, alta bassa ecc ecc) but at the end of  it all it is just pizza with any kind of variation to the orginal  version!
> As I said in a previous post, and as a vegetarian living in Paris for 2  years I ordered quite a few omelettes and I can assure all of my fellow  forum users that those omelettes looked  and tasted exactly like any  frittata I had eaten in my previous 9 years in Florence.
> The only difference I found was in Normandy (Mont St. Michel) where the  preparation of omelettes was slightly different. They first prepared the  egg mixture (solely with the use of the egg yolks) with the other  ingredients (or in some cases added them in the pan (depending on the  type of omelette) and at a later stage added the egg whites resulting in  a fluffier and softer omelette.
> to me it is just a variation of the orignal recipe
> Bella



Ciao Bella 
I've made omelettes all my life, and when visiting friends in Paris, and was invited to dinner by a Norman lady, I asked to watch how she made an omelette, to see if there were any secrets to learn.  She told me the only secret was to use more butter than is good for you!   She also showed me how to make an omelette with chanterelle mushrooms, by sautéeing them in the pan, then setting them aside while making the omelette - and then putting them in the middle when the omelette was almost cooked.

When I first came to Italy (over 30 years ago) as a student, Italian friends of mine sometimes made a frittata, which however was cooked in oil (often olive oil), and fried on both sides.  It was thicker than an omelette, and not folded, and the vegetables or other additions were mixed with the egg, not used to fill it (since it wasn't folded).  It wasn't until years later that I learned that the frittata could also be put in the oven to finish cooking, after being in the pan.  

Admittedly the ingredients of both dishes are basically the same, however the method of cooking (and serving) them is quite different (as well as the fat used for cooking them), and a frittata is much thicker than an omelette.  I have heard of puffy omelettes (which sound like what you ate in Normandy), but the cooking method is basically the same:  cooked on one side in a pan with butter at just the right temperature (just past sizzling), and then folded (in thirds) as it's flipped onto the serving plate. The only difference (with the puffy omelette) is that it is passed in an oven (before folding) because it's too thick to cook on one side on a stove-top, BUT at the end it is also folded.

I agree with you that eggs are eggs.  However I would never call a frittata an omelette, or an omelette a frittata - and I would keep the names in their own languages


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## Odysseus54

Yet, when my Mom used to cook 'frittatine ripiene' for us, they were thin flat 'frittate' that she filled with stuff ( generally fontina but also spinach etc ) , then roll up one by one as they were finishing to cook.  The whole thing looked suspiciously like what at some point in my life I learned is also called an 'omelette', a word that still today my Mom considers a foreign term.


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## Bella63

curiosone said:


> Ciao Bella
> I've made omelettes all my life, and when visiting friends in Paris, and was invited to dinner by a Norman lady, I asked to watch how she made an omelette, to see if there were any secrets to learn.  She told me the only secret was to use more butter than is good for you!   She also showed me how to make an omelette with chanterelle mushrooms, by sautéeing them in the pan, then setting them aside while making the omelette - and then putting them in the middle when the omelette was almost cooked.
> 
> When I first came to Italy (over 30 years ago) as a student, Italian friends of mine sometimes made a frittata, which however was cooked in oil (often olive oil), and fried on both sides.  It was thicker than an omelette, and not folded, and the vegetables or other additions were mixed with the egg, not used to fill it (since it wasn't folded).  It wasn't until years later that I learned that the frittata could also be put in the oven to finish cooking, after being in the pan.
> 
> Admittedly the ingredients of both dishes are basically the same, however the method of cooking (and serving) them is quite different (as well as the fat used for cooking them), and a frittata is much thicker than an omelette.  I have heard of puffy omelettes (which sound like what you ate in Normandy), but the cooking method is basically the same:  cooked on one side in a pan with butter at just the right temperature (just past sizzling), and then folded (in thirds) as it's flipped onto the serving plate. The only difference (with the puffy omelette) is that it is passed in an oven (before folding) because it's too thick to cook on one side on a stove-top, BUT at the end it is also folded.
> 
> I agree with you that eggs are eggs.  However I would never call a frittata an omelette, or an omelette a frittata - and I would keep the names in their own languages


I definitely agree with you on keeping the names in their original language. If I'm speaking Italian I'd use the word frittata and in English I'd say omelette. To me whether its flat, flipped, fluffy or filled and finished off in the over (I've never done this myself but I know people who do) the ingredients are basically the same. There are endless recipes for cheesecakes, cooked and uncooked but they are all called cheesecakes, there are endless recipes for pies and quiches (torte salate) but if it is a pie we don't call it a torta salata. 
Thats my personal point of view.


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## Einstein

Paulfromitaly said:


> Ever heard of "loertis" in Milan?


No. I see it's not in the dictionaries, but from a quick Google search it seems it's a dialect word in the Brescia/Bergamo area. I must consult some neighbours. I only knew the standard Italian word "luppolo". I'm from the hop-growing area of England, so I recognise the plant and I see that it grows everywhere in and around Milan. But I don't know if it's any good for making beer! That's probably the reason why they use it for omelettes.

PS to *You little ripper*: sorry, I didn't see your reply earlier. You've taught me something about yeast! However, brewer's yeast is a beer-making by-product and obviously hops, as a beer ingredient, play their part, but I wouldn't consider that as a separate use of hops. I don't think you would either, but it seemed that way.


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## london calling

elfa said:


> Jo, I'm afraid your mum may have avoided the deluge of cookery programmes on the TV in the UK.  "Frittata" is a pretty common term here and while many people might not know exactly how you make it, they would probably know that it's Italian and that it's an eggy-omelette-y concoction. Never heard "posh omelette" used other than by the ubiquitous Jamie


I asked her what she thought a frittata might be. She replied: "I beg your pardon?" So I explained it and she said "Oh you mean a sort of Spanish omelette!"

By the way, these days I tend to cook "frittate" in the oven (less fried food an' all that), but to me a _frittata _proper is fried.


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## You little ripper!

Einstein said:


> PS to *You little ripper*: sorry, I didn't see your reply earlier. You've taught me something about yeast! However, brewer's yeast is a beer-making by-product and obviously hops, as a beer ingredient, play their part, but I wouldn't consider that as a separate use of hops. I don't think you would either, but it seemed that way.


I've just noticed your edit, Einstein, and I agree that brewer's yeast is a by-product of beer, but it appears that it can be grown just from hops. This website says: _Brewer's yeast is either grown for harvest on grains, hops, sugar beets  or molasses,  or it's what's left over after beer has been brewed and  processed. _The one I take doesn't mention where it's derived from. Who knows? I'm more interested in its health benefits than where it comes from, but we're deviating from the original question.


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## curiosone

You little ripper! said:


> ...we're deviating from the original question.



...unless of course we want to drink beer with our omelette or frittata!

 (I also thought of Spanish omelettes/tortillas, when thinking about frittatas - thinking they're pretty much the same).
I just noticed that the WordReference dictionary translates "frittata" as "Italian omelette".


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## FTin3D

My experience with frittatas is that they can be made of whatever's leftover and fits in a frying pan - onions, spinach, cheese, ham, pasta - with or without eggs. An omelette on the other hand must necessarily have eggs for a base. Does this apply in the rest of the country or is it just a Puglia thing?


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## Paulfromitaly

FTin3D said:


> My experience with frittatas is that they can be made of whatever's leftover and fits in a frying pan - onions, spinach, cheese, ham, pasta - with or without eggs. An omelette on the other hand must necessarily have eggs for a base. Does this apply in the rest of the country or is it just a Puglia thing?


If there are no eggs then it's not frittata which, in any case, is not made with leftovers.


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## FTin3D

A Bari si` =D

It seems to me like the only constant in a frittata barese is the prezzemolo and the frying pan.


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## london calling

FTin3D said:


> It seems to me like the only constant in a frittata barese is the prezzemolo and the frying pan.



Are you sure you don't mean_ frittura_?


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## Nunou

Sono entrambe a base di uova sbattute, cambiano il procedimento di cottura e, inevitabilmente, il gusto e l'aspetto finale. Si possono poi aggiungere
vari altri ingredienti e/o eventuali resti alla base. 

L'omelette in fondo è una sublimazione delle uova strapazzate mentre la frittata pare derivi da una preparazione spagnola. 
Omelette è un termine non tradotto anche in italiano... per cui mi chiedo perché dovremmo per forza riuscire a tradurre frittata.
Secondo me è come per pizza, spaghetti...o lo shortening bread di qualche discussione fa. 
Si tratta di specialità/prearazioni tipiche e intraducibili 

Qui sotto dicono che nei tempi che furono la descrizione era stata "Italy's version of an open-face omelette"...ma che da oltre 50 anni viene definita sempre e solo frittata.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frittata
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omelette


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## london calling

Sentite, mi sono rotta le scatole. Quando parlo inglese dico _omelette_, quando parlo italiano dico _frittata_. E non è vero che tutti i britannici capiscono che cosa voglia dire _frittata_ (non posso parlare per gli americani)- ma la smettete di darvi delle arie, parlate come mangiate, vi prego!


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## Nunou

E se volete assaggiare qualcosa di veramente buono e particolare....fatevi un giro al Mont-Saint-Michel 
"Omelette le la mère Poulard"...chiusa o aperta...ma rigorosamente cotta sul fuoco  
*
*


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## london calling

Nunou said:


> http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omelette_de_la_mère_Poulard



E i francesi che c'entrano? 

Ci sono stata a Mont-St.-Michel, però questa me la sono persa.


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## Nunou

Ops...LC...avevo appena tolto il link..proprio perché mi sono resa conto che era in francese e forse non può stare in questa discussione.
Se ci torni però non te la perdere....mi raccomando!!! 

Era solo per spiegare che esistono molte varianti di questa preparazione a base di uova sbattute...lì le sbattono fino a formare una mousse e il risultato a fine cottura è  di "ben dorata all'esterno... e cremosa all'interno".......indescrivibile!!!


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## Bella63

FTin3D said:


> My experience with frittatas is that they can be made of whatever's leftover and fits in a frying pan - onions, spinach, cheese, ham, pasta - with or without eggs. An omelette on the other hand must necessarily have eggs for a base. Does this apply in the rest of the country or is it just a Puglia thing?



For me wherever I have lived (in Tuscany, Emilia Romagna and Lombardia) or travelled in Italy a frittata has eggs in in.



london calling said:


> Sentite, mi sono rotta le scatole. Quando parlo inglese dico _omelette_, quando parlo italiano dico _frittata_. E non è vero che tutti i britannici capiscono che cosa voglia dire _frittata_ (non posso parlare per gli americani)- ma la smettete di darvi delle arie, parlate come mangiate, vi prego!


You know I'm wid ya on dat luv!!!


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## stella_maris_74

FTin3D said:


> My experience with frittatas is that they can be made of whatever's leftover and fits in a frying pan - onions, spinach, cheese, ham, pasta - with or without eggs. An omelette on the other hand must necessarily have eggs for a base. Does this apply in the rest of the country or is it just a Puglia thing?





Paulfromitaly said:


> If there are no eggs then it's not frittata which, in any case, is not made with leftovers.



I'm from Bari, too, and I can confirm that we can make a frittata with pretty much everything (boiled rice, even), but all ingredients must be "held together" by eggs beaten into a cream (otherwise it's not frittata, as Paul says)


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## FTin3D

stella_maris_74 said:


> I'm from Bari, too, and I can confirm that we can make a frittata with pretty much everything (boiled rice, even), but all ingredients must be "held together" by eggs beaten into a cream (otherwise it's not frittata, as Paul says)


Well then...I guess my friends/grandparents are just weirdos  =D


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## Bella63

FTin3D said:


> Well then...I guess my friends/grandparents are just weirdos  =D


Or maybe just artisti e fantasiosi. Most families invent nicknames or adopt names of similar "things" to help the children relate to that product. And then dialect does a good job too.


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## Lauretess

Paulfromitaly said:


> That's cool, although I'm not sure everyone in the US or UK would know what a frittata is..


I read the word "crustless quiche" on several English sites for "frittata". Maybe it could work ?


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## london calling

I've never come across that. What's wrong with Spanish /onion (or whatever) omelette, anyway?


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## Wordy McWordface

Crustless quiche doesn't work. A quiche filling is basically a smooth baked custard, with lots of cream. Nothing like a frittata.

I agree with LC (and her mum) that the best way to describe a frittata to the average British person is 'Spanish omelette'.  You can get them in all the supermarkets over here in Britain, and they're not a whole lot different from Italian frittate:

https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/search?query=spanish omelette

(Also known as 'tortilla' in Spain and often sold as a (Spanish) tortilla in the UK, which adds a new layer of confusion)


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## theartichoke

Wordy McWordface said:


> Crustless quiche doesn't work. A quiche filling is basically a smooth baked custard, with lots of cream. Nothing like a frittata.
> 
> I agree with LC (and her mum) that the best way to describe a frittata to the average British person is 'Spanish omelette'.  You can get them in all the supermarkets over here in Britain, and they're not a whole lot different from Italian frittate:


Agreed about a crustless quiche not being anywhere near a frittata. That said, I suspect that the average North American who didn't know what a "frittata" was _also _wouldn't know what a "Spanish omelette" was, and would reasonably assume that a "tortilla" was the Mexican flatbread. Which I think leaves us over here with calling it a frittata and explaining, upon receiving a blank look, how it's like but also unlike an omelette.


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## Pietruzzo

Basically, a frittata is an open omelett.


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## london calling

Er, no. An omelette isn't necessarily rolled up.


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