Friars Omelette Recipe: A Traditional Scottish Eggs and Apples Dish

Friar's omelette is a traditional Scottish recipe that blends soft cooked apples with eggs, butter, sugar and breadcrumbs. It bakes in the oven until the top is golden and crisp. This sweet dish works well as a warm dessert or a rich breakfast for the whole family.

Friar's omelette is part omelette and part baked pudding. The apples cook down first, then mix with eggs to form a smooth base. Buttered breadcrumbs line the dish and cover the top, giving a firm shape and a crunchy crust after baking in a moderate oven.

This recipe serves four people and needs simple kitchen staples. Use cooking apples for the best flavour and texture. If you like, you can later swap apples with other fruit listed in the variations section. Measure everything before you start for a smooth workflow.

• 6 medium cooking apples (about 900 g total)
• 4 ounces (125 g / 1 stick) butter, plus extra for greasing
• 2 ounces (50 g / 4 tablespoons) white sugar, for the apple mixture
• 1 ounce (25 g / 1 rounded tablespoon) white sugar, for sprinkling
• 2 eggs, well beaten
• 4 ounces (125 g / 1 cup) dry breadcrumbs
• ¼ pint (150 ml) water
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice, or to taste

Equipment

You need basic cookware to make this Friar's omelette recipe. Choose a deep baking dish so the apple and egg mixture can puff slightly and stay moist inside. A medium saucepan helps cook the fruit evenly before it goes into the oven.

• Medium saucepan with lid
• Sharp knife and peeler
• Cutting board
• Mixing bowl
• Whisk or fork for beating eggs
• Deep baking dish (about 1–1.2 litres capacity)
• Oven set to 180°C / 350°F / Gas Mark 4
• Flat serving dish or plate

Step-by-step procedure

Follow these steps in order for the best texture and flavour. Allow the hot apple mixture to cool before adding eggs. This helps prevent the eggs from scrambling and keeps the baked omelette smooth and light, with a soft centre and crisp breadcrumb shell.

1. Peel and core the apples. Slice them evenly and place the slices in a medium saucepan with the water.
2. Cover and cook on medium heat until the apples are very soft, like applesauce. Stir often so they do not burn at the base.
3. Take the pan off the heat. Add the 125 g butter, 50 g sugar and lemon juice. Stir well so the butter melts and everything mixes smoothly.
4. Leave the apple mixture to cool until it is warm, not hot. This step is important before you add the beaten eggs.
5. Beat the eggs in a bowl until frothy. Pour them into the cooled apple mixture and mix until fully combined.
6. Grease the deep baking dish with butter. Add some of the breadcrumbs and tilt the dish so they coat the bottom and sides.
7. Keep enough breadcrumbs back to form a thick topping. Shake out any loose excess if the layer feels too thick on the sides.
8. Pour the apple and egg mixture into the prepared baking dish. Spread it out so the surface is level.
9. Cover the top with the remaining breadcrumbs in an even, thick layer. This will form the crisp crust during baking.
10. Place the dish in the preheated oven. Bake at 180°C for about 30 minutes, until the top is golden and the centre is set.
11. Remove from the oven and let it stand for a few minutes. Loosen the edges gently, then turn out onto a flat serving dish.
12. Sprinkle the remaining 25 g sugar evenly over the surface. Slice and serve the Friar's omelette warm.

Fruit variations

This Scottish baked omelette uses apples as the classic filling. The same method also works with other fruit. You can replace the apples with chopped rhubarb, sliced plums with stones removed, or fresh blackberries for a deeper colour and sharper flavour.

When you change the fruit, keep the butter, sugar, egg and breadcrumb amounts the same. Taste the cooked fruit mixture before baking. Adjust the sugar or lemon juice slightly if the fruit is more sour or more sweet than apples.

Nutritional values (approximate, per serving)

The values below are estimates for one of four servings of Friar's omelette. Actual figures can change with different brands of butter, sugar or breadcrumbs, and with any fruit substitutions. Use this as a general guide rather than an exact medical or diet figure.

Friar's omelette brings together simple eggs, fruit, butter and breadcrumbs in one baked dish. With a soft centre, a crisp crumb topping and a light sugar finish, it is a classic Scottish recipe that fits both as a sweet breakfast and as a homely dessert.