Does an omelette have to have egg in it?

Question

So heres the backround so you can understand what this is about. My wife calls me from work to tell me to look up the defintion of omelette because some one at work was arguing with her that you do not neccessarily have to have egg in an omelet. His arguement is what if you have a big piece of ham fill it full of cheese and vegetables, seal it with some cheese around the edge then it would be called a ham omelette. Her argument is if you call it an omelette it must have egg in it. So what is your opinion on the matter? Ham omelette without eggs
or must this omelet have egg? Could it maybe be a variation on the traditional egg omlette?

Answer 1

the meaning of the word omelette is :beaten eggs or an egg mixture si you need to have eggs :)

Answer 2

Going by definition from an english dictionary, omlette means "beaten eggs or an egg mixture cooked until just set; may be folded around e.g. ham or cheese or jelly".

However, a common omlette-like preparation in India (in particular in the Maharashtra State) involves pouring mixed floor (soaked and soured in water overnight) over a hot pan and set like an omlette. Corriander leaves are included before cooking and it is served with pickles.

Since the dictionary is for people there is no harm in extending the definition of an omlette to include all such preparations.

Answer 3

According to the dictionary, an omelete or ( omelette ) is a dish which is made with eggs beaten up, often with milk or water and cooked as a pancake on a grill or in a frying pan . .

Answer 4

There's an old saying that applies here-"You can't make an omelette without breaking a few eggs". It's a metaphor, but there's enough truth in it to answer your question. I'm sure there are dishes that are prepared in a similiar manner, but without eggs it's not really an omelette.

Answer 5

Yes it does require an egg to be called an omelette. Here is a link to the definition of an omelette. Just print off the page and have your wife take it to work to show her coworker!

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/omelet

Answer 6

I say, make it with what you got..it probably isn't technically an omelet but if your wife's Friends thinks it's an omelet....to her it is....life is just too short for such disagreements....tell your wife to let her Friend win this one...who really cares?

Answer 7

yes it must have an egg. the definition of an omelet is a filled egg pie.

Answer 8

Alas, poor Yorick, there doth have to bee-ith eggs.

Answer 9

i think her co-worker was thinking of a hamlette

Answer 10

well, i guess you dont have to. i mean think about it, there is beer without any alcohol in it, so would it still be called beer? its just a personal preference i guess. =)