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    Home • Recipes • Classic French Dishes

    Corsican Mint Omelette (Omelette à la Menthe)

    Published: Jul 23, 2020 · Modified: Jun 3, 2023 by Jill Colonna17 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

    Corsican Mint Omelette, a typical easy dish from the French Island of Beauty. Unlike a regular French omelette, it's served flat with or without cheese and cooked with olive oil. The mint makes this a good filling for a refreshing breakfast, light lunch or vegetarian dinner.

    mint omelette

    Mint - A Good Filling for Omelettes

    The recipe comes from my Corsican Mother-in-Law. Made with just fresh organic eggs and plenty of fresh mint, it's a deliciously refreshing dish.

    Before I hear you say, 'What? Mint in an omelette?' Try it - it's fabulous. Sometimes the most simplest of dishes is the most surprisingly tasty.

    Corsican French mint omelette

    A Classic Dish from Corsica

    My mother-in-law always makes it just with mint - but there are two versions to a Corsican Mint Omelette: one is with mint, the other with mint and cheese.  However, I didn't tell you the best part about a Corsican mint omelette.

    Firstly let me tell you, if you're new here, that my husband is Corsican. He's from l'Ile de Beauté, the beautiful island that sits southeast of France's hexagone and above the Italian island of Sardinia. While Corsica has officially been part of France since 1768, its culture is still predominantly Italian.

    Corsican Language - A Mixture of French and Italian

    It's fascinating listening to my mother-in-law speak the Corsican language with her neighbours, with its Italian and French lilts. To give you an example, bonjour is bonghjornu and au revoir is avvèdeci.

    I'm not good enough to attempt the lingo, as there's a particular accent that sets the Corsicans apart - you could say it sets their 'bones apart' (Sorry, couldn't resist an awful pun, as Napoleon Bonaparte was born here).

    What two words are most easy to say in Corsican? Say va bè (ça va), said slowly with a positive shoulder-shrugging gesture that probably says, "I may sound ridiculous but yes, everything is cool".

    Popular Corsican Cuisine

    Two-thirds of the island is made up of dramatic mountains with perched hilltop villages, which influences Corsica's cuisine. Although fresh fish and seafood are popular in the touristy coastal resorts, inland there's trout from the rivers - always served simply - but good, rustic food from the land features most.

    Corsicans love their meat (namely lamb, boar and lots of veal: try this Corsican Veal and Peppers recipe here), and their own cheeses (notably brocciu - read more here in my recipe post for Fiadone, Corsican Cheesecake).

    The addition of fresh vegetables and wild herbs from the unique maquis adds the most unmistakably Corsican fragrance of the surrounding shrubs that cover the island.

    Corsican herbs like mint in cooking
    Corsican dishes rely on the land, using herbs and vegetables fresh from the garden or surrounding maquis

    Corsicans Add Mint to Their Cuisine

    Antoine's family hilltop village is nearest the mountain town of Corte. Homegrown vegetables and herbs are in most of the villagers' gardens and, while there are plenty of dishes I could cite here, let's focus on mint - otherwise I can feel the next book coming on!

    It's a powerful, yet subtle ingredient that's added to many of the most memorable dishes I've had in Corsica, including the traditional Cannelloni au Brocciu. Ever since I tasted the mint coming through the cheese in a restaurant in Rogliano (in Corsica's top finger on the map) I make a lazy version of it (without stuffing cannelloni tubes). Adding mint just gives it that special, extra intriguing taste to this Corscian Brocciu Lasagne and stuffed cheesy courgettes - like, "What is it that I'm tasting?"

    It's peppermint.

    Mint Omelette

    Differences between a French and Corsican Omelette

    I left the best for last. So, what makes a Corsican omelette different to a regular French omelette?

    One is folded over, the other is served flat but still runny and soft inside.

    Authentic Corsican Omelettes

    Authentic Corsican omelettes are made using OLIVE OIL and, instead of being folded or rolled over, they are SERVED FLAT - cooked more underneath and just a quick minute (maximum) more on the facing side.

    As with the regular French omelette, it's still deliciously runny inside; as the French say, it's an Omelette Baveuse - literally dribbling.

    Mint Omelette Corsican recipe - step by step

    Best Substitute for Brocciu Corsican Cheese

    Traditionally, brocciu cheese is often added to a mint omelette. However, as it's difficult to find and expensive, we need a cheese substitute.

    It's also not easy to find during summer as brocciu is normally produced between November to June, when the milk is at its richest - otherwise it's known as 'brousse' if it's not 40% fat by AOC standards.

    A Corsican chef from Calvi told me to use la Faisselle in France, which is good. I believe the best substitutes for brocciu is a good quality, soft fresh goat's cheese or a good, salty ricotta cheese.

    Corsican Mint Omelette - A frittata incu a menta (e brocciu)

    mint omelette

    Corsican Mint Omelette

    Jill Colonna
    A simple omelette, popular in Corsica made with mint and often includes Brocciu cheese. If you can't find fresh Brocciu, a good fresh goat's cheese or ricotta is excellent.
    5 from 16 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 10 minutes mins
    Total Time 20 minutes mins
    Course Light Lunch, Main Course, Supper
    Cuisine Corsican, French
    Servings 3
    Calories 241 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 6 Large eggs Organic
    • pinch each salt and pepper
    • 2 tablespoon olive oil Extra Virgin
    • 10-15 Fresh mint leaves (peppermint) chopped finely
    • 50 g (2oz/¼ cup) Brocciu or fresh goat's cheese roughly chopped or crumbled (OPTIONAL)

    Instructions
     

    • In a large bowl, beat the eggs with a fork just until the eggs and whites are mixed together. Add the salt and pepper, according to taste.  
    • Heat the olive oil in a non-stick omelette pan over a medium heat.
    • Tip the egg mixture into the pan with the hot oil. As the eggs cook, quickly move around the mixture away from the sides, tilting the pan so that the liquid from the middle goes all around the outside, to enable more even cooking.
    • Top evenly with the mint and cheese (if using) and, while still a bit liquid, top with a large plate and tip the omelette onto the plate. 
      Carefully, slide the omelette back into the pan, cooking the other side just for a minute then serve the omelette with the least cooked side upright.  The omelette should be soft and runny in the middle ("baveuse" or dribbling, as the French say).

    Video

    Notes

    Corsican omelettes are served flat and not folded over like French omelettes.  It doesn't matter if the omelette isn't coloured - it's normal! Just ensure the eggs are cooked but the omelette is still a bit runny or baveuse (juicy). 
    See quick recipe demonstration video here.
    Nutritional information: provides 21g protein
    Keyword Corsican,, easyrecipes,, Mint, Omelette,

     

    Have you tried an authentic Corsican cheesecake dessert too? This Fiadone recipe has to be the laziest, delicious cheesecake on the planet!

     

     

    More Classic French Dishes

    • layers of lasagna with cheese, spinach, tomato and mint
      Corsican Cheese Lasagna (Cannelloni au Brocciu)
    • green asparagus spears baked in a roasting tin topped with toasted hazelnuts
      Oven-Roasted Asparagus (Asperges rôties)
    • gratin dish of sliced potato bake with autumn leaves
      Gratin Dauphinois (Creamy Potato Gratin)
    • tray holding slices of toasted French toast or Pain Perdu in a boulangerie in France in front of baguettes
      Best French Toast Recipe (Pain Perdu)
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    Jill Colonna standing in a French patisserie lab holding a giant whisk over an oversized mixer bowl

    Meet Jill Colonna

    Jill is both Scottish and French and author of the book and blog, Mad About Macarons since 2010. Here she shares over 30 years of experience of living the healthy food life with her French family in Paris - via easy recipes and local food guides in France.

    More about Jill

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    1. Robin

      August 01, 2020 at 2:52 pm

      5 stars
      Hello Jill,
      Wonderful, would you say peppermint or spearmint is closest to wild Corsican mint or is it too tricky to compare them? We have both and I’m wondering which would ‘work’ best? Must, must must get back to that wonderful place someday!

      Reply
      • Jill Colonna

        August 01, 2020 at 4:51 pm

        It's tricky to compare, Robin - but as I say in the video, I use peppermint - just like my Corsican mother-in-law does. I find spearmint to be a bit sweeter and better for desserts. Why don't you try both and let me know which mint you prefer?

        Reply
      • Robin

        August 01, 2020 at 9:28 pm

        Realised the recipe specifies peppermint! Oops question answered.very much appreciate the blog!

        Reply
        • Jill Colonna

          August 02, 2020 at 12:18 pm

          Pleasure! Bon dimanche x

          Reply
    2. sherry

      July 27, 2020 at 5:28 am

      5 stars
      wow this looks stunning. i would never have thought of a mint omelette. i do like mine runny inside as you have here:) Love the photos of Corsica too.
      cheers
      sherry

      Reply
      • Jill Colonna

        July 27, 2020 at 12:42 pm

        Here's to runny omelettes and discovering the mint with it! Enjoy x

        Reply
    3. Devra Long

      July 26, 2020 at 6:54 pm

      5 stars
      Simplicity at it’s best!
      We have a lot of mint in our garden and this is my favorite way of using it!
      This time we added the goat cheese and it was delicious but I really like it either way!
      This recipe is wonderful!!!

      Reply
      • Jill Colonna

        July 27, 2020 at 12:39 pm

        Thanks Devra - I love that you have been making the recipe and discovering it with the cheese too. Isn't it ridiculously simple but good?

        Reply
    4. Christina Conte

      July 24, 2020 at 4:32 pm

      5 stars
      I remember seeing these omelettes in the past on your stories and am intrigued with the mint! I've never had mint in an omelette before, but then, I only make frittate, usually with potato and bacon! I have a new goat cheese from Australia that I'm in love with, and am sure it would be lovely in this!

      Reply
      • Jill Colonna

        July 24, 2020 at 5:56 pm

        I do hope you try it, Christina - especially as it's so simple that it's kind of a fun surprise. That's great you've got goat's cheese too.

        Reply
    5. Jean-Pierre D.

      June 16, 2018 at 10:07 pm

      5 stars
      What I like with your posts is the village and story behind the recipe - and the recipe works a treat - even I can make it and I don't cook well. Thank you Jill.

      Reply
    6. Liz

      June 10, 2018 at 12:46 pm

      5 stars
      I wish I hadn't already had breakfast! Plenty of mint in the garden to make this lovely omelette on a whim. What gorgeous country where Antoine grew up!!!

      Reply
      • Jill Colonna

        June 10, 2018 at 2:34 pm

        Thanks, Liz. Glad you've plenty mint to make this in between the mojitos and all your gorgeous chocolate cakes!

        Reply
      • Antoine

        June 16, 2018 at 10:00 pm

        5 stars
        You can have it also for dinner 🙂 REALLY worth it !!!!

        Reply
    7. Gee

      June 09, 2018 at 8:16 pm

      5 stars
      Hello Jill! Love your mint omelette for the freshness and exotic air! Usually, in the first day of spring when the mint appears in our garden, my mom used it with goat matureted cheese in our omelette! So , i know this great taste and i'm so happy to see near your delicate and sophisticated recipes! Thank you!!

      Reply
      • Jill Colonna

        June 10, 2018 at 10:20 am

        Isn't that lovely, Gee? Where is your Mum from? Would love to know her tradition. Isn't it a most lovely combination? Happy cooking.

        Reply
      • Antoine

        June 16, 2018 at 9:59 pm

        5 stars
        Gee you should definitely try it : your life will change forever omelette wise 🙂

        Reply

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