Described as a Catalan omelette by Patience Gray in her beautiful cookbook Honey from a Weed, I am making this for lunch:
It’s the morning after we return from the launch fortnight in the UK for my new cookbook, Mediterranean Cooking for Diabetics.
A predictably slow morning–I’m heavy-lidded and creaky.
It will thus be the lazy version–made with artichoke hearts from an Italian jar (bounty from a trip to Tuscany)–surprisingly good!
Patience Gray’s version uses fresh artichokes (a lot more work!).
It reminds me of lunches eaten over 40 years at la Sostanza in Florence–discovered by chance on a trip in 1978.
I always order artichoke omelette–served flat–and a plate of white beans with olive oil.
In a beauty contest, Sostanza’s omelette (tortino) wins…
Patience says the Catalan version is served folded.
Chose where you are having lunch–in Florence at Sostanza or a little restaurant on the Spanish Costa Brava (Wild Coast)–folded or flat–it is delicious.
I’m choosing Sostanza and making it as a single omelette to be divided in two.
For the Look, I might try Patience’s version next time–i.e. folded!
Tasted good like this, though.
Serves 2
1 tin/jar cooked artichokes–drained and sliced on the vertical
2 tbs olive oil
2 tbs parmesan cheese–grated
4 eggs
salt and pepper
Gently fry the artichoke slices in the oil.
Season the egg mixture.
When the artichokes are nicely browned, turn up the heat and add the egg mixture.
Push back the liquid from the rim of the pan, letting the liquid mixture run into the spaces.
Sprinkle over the parmesan and slip the omelette out of the pan and onto a plate.
Robin Ellis 
Robin and Meredith- I saw this and fixed it for my lunch but used feta instead of parmesan (that’s what was on hand) it was delightful and will become a go-to dish !
I was planning an omelette for two for tonight’s dinner. You’ve inspired me to add artichokes. It looks delicious.
As a relatively newly diagnosed diabetic I enjoy your blogs and have used several of the recipes and some in your first cookbook too. One particularly successful one was the courgette ‘muffins’ I think you called them. I do this on a bigger scale and make frittatas with the same ingredients; delicious. Going through phases, I am now making one with butternut squash and mushrooms, again delicious; both have grated cheese mixed in with the eggs.
But I do wish we could get the French (or Spanish) bottled white beans in the UK – they are so much softer and tastier than the English tinned ones. I have found them on the web but the postage is exorbitant. If I lived in London it might be easier, just a tube ride away. The last time I cooked them from dry, I finished up making soup which wasfine, but not what I wanted – a plate of beans as in your r ecent photograph would be excellent. Any suggestions ?
Kind regards
Elizabeth Wood
Hi Liz.
Cooked from dry seems your best bet.
Soak them long (overnight) with a teaspoon of bicarbonate.
I then set the oven to 170C and, as in the book, bring them to the boil and cook them in the oven for an hour–testing for doneness at 45 mins.
Just cook them longer if they are still not soft.
Depends on the age of the beans.
Sounds like you have the condition under control. Being able to cook and control what you eat is very important.
Well done!
Actually made this for breakfast BEFORE I read today’s article. Great minds!!!!
Sent from my iPhone
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Nice one Robin 👍
Strange to see mention of Patience Gray, I have her book, she was my landlady in Hampstead many years ago. A flat in a huge Gothic mansion next to the Heath which is let out after her move to Italy.
It’s a lovely book, Kate. I was brought up close to the Heath extension–so nearby.
I’m a huge omelette fan, Robin. The French one you taught us in Lautrec is a weekly occurrence in our house. This one looks delicious- perhaps lunch today! Thanks for posting it.
Looks wonderful. It reminded me I have 4 artichokes in the crisper. California.
Mmmm–this looks like a nice change from our (kinda boring) broccoli & cheese omelette! Will have to try it! Thanks, Robin! 🙂 And welcome back home to the both of you!
Artichoke omelette or frittata is so tasty and inviting! “Carciofini sott’olio” = jar artichokes in olive oil are so tempting and when you start with one is so difficult to stop eating them! It is one of my favourite “side dishes” , especially if home-made. In the Seventies/eighties my mother would make many jars of small artichokes in extra virgin olive oil – as well as aubergines – but it was a hard and long work to do them and I still remember the smell of vinegar all over the house and the long wooden tables where to lay the artichokes and aubergines slices cooked, in order to let them dry before putting them in glass jars with herbs/spices and extra virgin oil. Che bontà!
Lovelt description, Paola.
I love artichoke omelettes, flat or folded, too, but artichokes must be fresh! Anyway, omelettes are delicious, even with potatos or zucchini (sliced). I usually add some garlic (just a little bit).
Yes best if fresh.