Mixing a trio of cheeses is a popular hack for a pizza topping, and let’s be honest, there are often times when we have leftover bits of sundry cheeses and wonder what to do with them. A breakfast omelette is one way to use it up, and prevent wastage.

This omelette is of course in the Italian style, which is not folded as with a French omelette but baked with the beaten eggs and other ingredients covering the pan, and cooked either in the oven or on the stove top covered with a lid to help the top to finish cooking.

The cheeses I happened to have were mature Cheddar, feta and Parmesan, all of which are quite different from one another, but go to town with whatever cheeses you find.

Ingredients

6 XL eggs

1 medium onion, chopped finely

1 standard punnet button mushrooms, sliced

3 or 4 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp finely chopped parsley

100 g grated mature Cheddar (or whatever Cheddar is in your fridge)

1 round of plain feta, diced

50 g grated Parmesan

Salt and pepper to taste

Spanish smoked paprika to taste

Method

Simmer the onions in olive oil until softened, then add the sliced mushrooms and cook, stirring, over a medium heat until the mushrooms release their juices. Season with salt, pepper and smoked paprika to taste and continue cooking until the juices have cooked away and the mushrooms are shiny.

Grease a heavy frying pan which is suitable for the oven and spoon the mushroom mix in, evenly.

Break the eggs into a bowl. Add the chopped parsley, salt and pepper and smoked paprika to taste, and whisk. 

Grate the Parmesan and the Cheddar, dice the feta small, and stir them all into the eggs.

Pour the egg mixture over the mushrooms, using the back of a tablespoon to smooth it all around evenly.

Bake in a preheated 200℃ oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until the egg is set in the centre of the pan.

If cooking it on a stove top, be sure to do so on a low heat so that the bottom does not overcook and dry out. Or begin it on the hob and finish it in the oven. DM

Tony Jackman is Galliova Food Writer 2023, jointly with TGIFood columnist Anna Trapido. Order his book, foodSTUFF, here