caprese omelette tramezzino
I know, more brunch food, right? What can I say, I love brunch. This dish aims to take advantage of ripe summer tomatoes. Ideally, use some interesting heirloom tomatoes for this, like green zebras, Cherokee purples, Early Girls, or San Marzanos. Don't make it with off-season supermarket tomatoes, you'll regret it.
This is also a good "impress the company" brunch dish, because it's attractive and looks elegant while actually being quite easy to make. You could even hold it for an hour and give it a very quick zap in the microwave before serving, nobody would know.
This recipe was inspired by a recipe in Recipes from an Italian Summer.
caprese omelette tramezzino
6 eggs
2-4 ripe tomatoes, around 1 lbs
4 oz semisoft Italian cheese, grated
1/2 cup basil leaves
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1 oz balsamic vinegar
Salt & pepper
Olive oil
3 small bowls, 12" nonstick pan with lid, large serving platter, basting brush.
Mince the basil and parsley together.
Get three small bowls, and beat 2 eggs, 1/3 of the minced herbs, and a pinch of salt in each.
Stem the tomatoes, and slice thin, around 1/8" slices. Separate into two piles, and separate the grated cheese into two piles. Get everything set up next to the stove; when you start cooking the eggs, things go very fast and you'll need everything within reach or you'll overcook them.
Heat up a 12" nonstick pan with a drizzle of olive oil on high heat. When the oil is almost smoking hot, pour in the first bowl of eggs, and swirl until it covers the bottom of the pan. Quickly sprinkle half the cheese on top. Turn heat down to medium, and cover the pan for 30 to 45 seconds. Uncover; at this point, the egg should be barely set on top, maybe a little wet in the middle. Slide out the first layer of eggs onto a large plate or serving platter. Working quickly so that the cheese is still warm and soft, cover with half the tomato slices in a single non-overlapping layer.
Heat the pan back up to high and repeat the same process as with the first layer. When the eggs are cooked, slide this on top of the eggs and tomatoes, being careful to align it. Cover with the 2nd half of the tomatoes.
Heat the pan back up to high and cook the last set of eggs. This layer will be cooked without cheese. When the eggs are just set, flip the egg disk over and slide it on top of the last tomato layer; you want the "brown" side up. Paint this layer lightly with the balsamic vinegar.
Serve by cutting into wedges with a very sharp knife. Serves two as a solo dish for brunch, or up to six people with various brunch sides (fruit, potatoes, toast, etc.).
Notes:
Get a flavorful, semi-soft Italian cheese for this, such as a soft young pecorino, cacciocavallo, fontina, or provalone. Heck, this is a good dish for that wedge of Quadrello di Bufala you've been saving
Those watching their saturated fat intake can instead use two egg whites and one whole egg in place of each pair of eggs. This recipe might even work with fake eggs.