Eggs · 15First of all, beat the eggs, but only lightly as they must not be frothy. Add a pinch of fine salt.Place a frying pan over a medium-high heat and add the oil and butter. If you cook the omelette over a low heat, it will be solid and cooked evenly all the way through. It’s also important to add just enough fat to the pan so the omelette fries but doesn’t brown. The mix of oil and butter should ‘sing’ when it comes into contact with the pan, but not ‘scream’.Pour the eggs into the pan. Shake the pan from front to back holding the handle with your left hand Serves 13 eggspinch of fine salta drizzle of neutral flavoured oil1 tsp butter Equipment you must have non-stick frying pan [skillet], 22–24cm [9–10in] in diametera wooden spoonPépin-styleOmelette, Jacques Pépin is a French celebrity chef who for a long time has been an icon in the US. Very talented, a bit cheeky and with an accent you can cut with a knife don't look at me! , he is particularly famous for his incomparable omelettes. This is my take on how he makes them.Making my body remember Every Saturday lunchtime for about a year, I made an omelette at home. Sometimes with a filling, sometimes without, but always trying to improve my technique. Smoother, more pointed, less golden, more golden, lightly cooked, more cooked... all because I wanted my body and not my head to remember the movements necessary to achieve success. And, also, because without doubt I'm mad.and, with your right hand, use the wooden spoon to stir the eggs in a circular movement (I’m right-handed). The flecks of cooked egg that progressively appear allow the heat to be distributed throughout the omelette and not just remain at the bottom. Gently pull the sides towards the centre.When the omelette starts to set, i.e. there is almost no liquid egg left in the pan, tilt the pan away from the handle and carefully roll the omelette over itself using the spoon. By tapping the handle lightly but firmly with the palm of your hand, you’ll release the omelette and it will go to the back of the pan. At this point you can add a filling (cheese, ham, etc…) or just fold it over.Change to holding the handle of the pan with the palm underneath facing upwards and turn out the omelette onto a plate, lifting the plate and tilting it with your right hand. The omelette should be plump and shaped like a half moon.Eggs · 15First of all, beat the eggs, but only lightly as they must not be frothy. Add a pinch of fine salt.Place a frying pan over a medium-high heat and add the oil and butter. If you cook the omelette over a low heat, it will be solid and cooked evenly all the way through. It’s also important to add just enough fat to the pan so the omelette fries but doesn’t brown. The mix of oil and butter should ‘sing’ when it comes into contact with the pan, but not ‘scream’.Pour the eggs into the pan. Shake the pan from front to back holding the handle with your left hand Serves 13 eggspinch of fine salta drizzle of neutral flavoured oil1 tsp butter Equipment you must have non-stick frying pan [skillet], 22–24cm [9–10in] in diametera wooden spoonPépin-styleOmelette, Jacques Pépin is a French celebrity chef who for a long time has been an icon in the US. Very talented, a bit cheeky and with an accent you can cut with a knife don't look at me! , he is particularly famous for his incomparable omelettes. This is my take on how he makes them.Making my body remember Every Saturday lunchtime for about a year, I made an omelette at home. Sometimes with a filling, sometimes without, but always trying to improve my technique. Smoother, more pointed, less golden, more golden, lightly cooked, more cooked... all because I wanted my body and not my head to remember the movements necessary to achieve success. And, also, because without doubt I'm mad.and, with your right hand, use the wooden spoon to stir the eggs in a circular movement (I’m right-handed). The flecks of cooked egg that progressively appear allow the heat to be distributed throughout the omelette and not just remain at the bottom. Gently pull the sides towards the centre.When the omelette starts to set, i.e. there is almost no liquid egg left in the pan, tilt the pan away from the handle and carefully roll the omelette over itself using the spoon. By tapping the handle lightly but firmly with the palm of your hand, you’ll release the omelette and it will go to the back of the pan. At this point you can add a filling (cheese, ham, etc…) or just fold it over.Change to holding the handle of the pan with the palm underneath facing upwards and turn out the omelette onto a plate, lifting the plate and tilting it with your right hand. The omelette should be plump and shaped like a half moon.Blend the sardines with the anchovies. Add about 5 tablespoons of olive oil and blend again until you have a smooth paste. This is the base of our dish.Heat 4 tablespoons of olive oil in a casserole dish or large pan with a lid, add the chopped onions and season with salt. Cover the pan and cook over a low heat for at least 1 hour. I know this sounds like hard work but you’ll be able to use this onion ‘compote’ in all sorts of dishes. It will also keep for easily a week in the refrigerator, covered with oil, in a sealed jar.Preheat the oven to its highest setting and, if you don’t have a pizza stone, preheat an upturned griddle pan in the oven. Roll out the ball of pizza dough with a rolling pin until about 25cm [10in] in diameter. Place the pizza base on a sheet of baking parchment and spread 3 tablespoons of sardine paste over it. Beware – it’s very salty and the flavour is powerful. Spread 8 tablespoons of onion compote on top and scatter over the pepper and fennel. Sprinkle over the thyme and rosemary and drizzle with olive oil.Slide the pizza onto the pizza stone or preheated griddle pan and bake for 5–10 minutes or until the edges of the dough are lightly charred and puffed up.Serves 33 canned sardines, drained6 canned anchovies, drainedolive oil3 large onions, finely choppedsalt1 ball of uncooked pizza dough (see page 76), ready to roll out1 small red [bell] pepper, deseeded and thinly sliced1 small fennel bulb, thinly slicedhandful of pitted black oliveschopped thyme and rosemary leaves (fresh are best but dried are fine as well)pizzaPissaladière As usual this is an adaptation of a traditional recipe, my inspiration coming this time from the 'pissaladière', a savoury tart from Provence in south-east France. What to do? If you detest anchovies, you can replace them with sardines, or if that suggestion doesn't help, replace the fish with olive tapenade. If you don't like olives either, WHAT DO YOU LIKE, DAMN IT??Blend the sardines with the anchovies. Add about 5 tablespoons of olive oil and blend again until you have a smooth paste. This is the base of our dish.Heat 4 tablespoons of olive oil in a casserole dish or large pan with a lid, add the chopped onions and season with salt. Cover the pan and cook over a low heat for at least 1 hour. I know this sounds like hard work but you’ll be able to use this onion ‘compote’ in all sorts of dishes. It will also keep for easily a week in the refrigerator, covered with oil, in a sealed jar.Preheat the oven to its highest setting and, if you don’t have a pizza stone, preheat an upturned griddle pan in the oven. Roll out the ball of pizza dough with a rolling pin until about 25cm [10in] in diameter. Place the pizza base on a sheet of baking parchment and spread 3 tablespoons of sardine paste over it. Beware – it’s very salty and the flavour is powerful. Spread 8 tablespoons of onion compote on top and scatter over the pepper and fennel. Sprinkle over the thyme and rosemary and drizzle with olive oil.Slide the pizza onto the pizza stone or preheated griddle pan and bake for 5–10 minutes or until the edges of the dough are lightly charred and puffed up.Serves 33 canned sardines, drained6 canned anchovies, drainedolive oil3 large onions, finely choppedsalt1 ball of uncooked pizza dough (see page 76), ready to roll out1 small red [bell] pepper, deseeded and thinly sliced1 small fennel bulb, thinly slicedhandful of pitted black oliveschopped thyme and rosemary leaves (fresh are best but dried are fine as well)pizzaPissaladière As usual this is an adaptation of a traditional recipe, my inspiration coming this time from the 'pissaladière', a savoury tart from Provence in south-east France. What to do? If you detest anchovies, you can replace them with sardines, or if that suggestion doesn't help, replace the fish with olive tapenade. If you don't like olives either, WHAT DO YOU LIKE, DAMN IT??CroissantsPreheat the oven to 220ºC/200ºC fan/425ºF/Gas 7. Lay 1 sheet of puff pastry on a board and dust it with icing sugar (or, if you’re feeling really decadent, spread with chocolate and hazelnut spread). Stack the second sheet on top – using 2 sheets of dough sandwiched together will give you a better rise in the oven.Trim the pastry edges so the stack is roughly round and then cut it into wedges like a pizza.Arrange a wedge so the tip is pointing towards you and, with both hands, roll it up slowly from the wide, rounded end, to make a croissant shape. Repeat with the other wedges and then lift the croissants onto a baking sheet lined with baking parchment. Brush the croissants with egg wash and sprinkle with almonds, if you like. Bake for about 15 minutes or until puffed and golden brown. You can dust them with icing sugar or leave them plain.Makes about 62 sheets of ready-rolled all-butter puff pastryicing [confectioners’] sugaregg wash (1 egg beaten with 2 Tbsp cold water)flaked [slivered] almonds OR dark [semisweet] chocolate, cut into 7.5-cm [3-in] sticks (2 sticks for each pain au chocolat)and pains au Fake croissants chocolatPains au chocolatPreheat the oven to 220ºC/200ºC fan/425ºF/Gas 7. Use the double puff pastry trick of stacking one sheet on top of the other (described opposite) and then cut the stack into 7.5 × 12.5-cm [3 x 5-in] rectangles.Position one rectangle so a short side is facing towards you and lay a stick of chocolate across the pastry, 2.5cm [1in] from the top. Start rolling the pastry from the top: after one turn you won’t be able to see the chocolate any more – that’s good. Flatten the top of the roll gently with your fingers so it becomes oval-shaped. Give the roll a second turn, flattening it slightly again and place a second chocolate stick close to the roll. Give it a final roll and a last press, ensuring the join in the pastry is tucked underneath. Trim off any excess and repeat with the other rectangles and chocolate sticks.Brush the pastry with egg wash and bake for 20 minutes or until puffed and golden brown.What are you talking about? Me, make fake croissants?? Sigh. You must think I've completely lost it... On the other hand, they are not that fake, or rather no more so than my other little pastries, which I make with puff pastry anyway. They are also really cheap and super–quick to make. Whew, I'm not crazy after all.CroissantsPreheat the oven to 220ºC/200ºC fan/425ºF/Gas 7. Lay 1 sheet of puff pastry on a board and dust it with icing sugar (or, if you’re feeling really decadent, spread with chocolate and hazelnut spread). Stack the second sheet on top – using 2 sheets of dough sandwiched together will give you a better rise in the oven.Trim the pastry edges so the stack is roughly round and then cut it into wedges like a pizza.Arrange a wedge so the tip is pointing towards you and, with both hands, roll it up slowly from the wide, rounded end, to make a croissant shape. Repeat with the other wedges and then lift the croissants onto a baking sheet lined with baking parchment. Brush the croissants with egg wash and sprinkle with almonds, if you like. Bake for about 15 minutes or until puffed and golden brown. You can dust them with icing sugar or leave them plain.Makes about 62 sheets of ready-rolled all-butter puff pastryicing [confectioners’] sugaregg wash (1 egg beaten with 2 Tbsp cold water)flaked [slivered] almonds OR dark [semisweet] chocolate, cut into 7.5-cm [3-in] sticks (2 sticks for each pain au chocolat)and pains au Fake croissants chocolatPains au chocolatPreheat the oven to 220ºC/200ºC fan/425ºF/Gas 7. Use the double puff pastry trick of stacking one sheet on top of the other (described opposite) and then cut the stack into 7.5 × 12.5-cm [3 x 5-in] rectangles.Position one rectangle so a short side is facing towards you and lay a stick of chocolate across the pastry, 2.5cm [1in] from the top. Start rolling the pastry from the top: after one turn you won’t be able to see the chocolate any more – that’s good. Flatten the top of the roll gently with your fingers so it becomes oval-shaped. Give the roll a second turn, flattening it slightly again and place a second chocolate stick close to the roll. Give it a final roll and a last press, ensuring the join in the pastry is tucked underneath. Trim off any excess and repeat with the other rectangles and chocolate sticks.Brush the pastry with egg wash and bake for 20 minutes or until puffed and golden brown.What are you talking about? Me, make fake croissants?? Sigh. You must think I've completely lost it... On the other hand, they are not that fake, or rather no more so than my other little pastries, which I make with puff pastry anyway. They are also really cheap and super–quick to make. Whew, I'm not crazy after all.We hope youenjoyed this EYB Book PreviewThe complete book is available from allmajor booksellers. Or use the "BuyBook" button and help support EYB. Next >