Sweet Potato Omelet Bites

I've made my fair share of omelets over the years. Like most of them, this particular recipe was pulled from memories of my childhood, watching my Mom cook omelets for my Dad (a native of Spain), as well as my own experiences trying to duplicate her ability to create perfection on a plate (still working on that). Since I had the basics down, I decided to move away from the traditional Spanish omelet, and try something different. Why not an appetizer? The spinach and sweet potatoes give this recipe its own unique flavor, but what really helped to transform this recipe into an appetizer was the size of the skillet. I found that a 10-inch skillet made the omelet thinner (about 1 inch in height as opposed to 2-3 inches). And, by cutting the omelet into small, bit-size pieces and inserting toothpicks on top, you have an instant appetizer.

Sweet Potato Omelet Bites


Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes (potatoes),  20-25 minutes (omelet)


Ingredients

5 large eggs
2 1/2 medium size sweet potatoes (peeled)
2-3 tbsp. canola oil
1 cup chopped, frozen spinach
1/4 tsp. dill weed
3/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. crushed garlic

Directions

Wash and peel the sweet potatoes and cut into small pieces (about 1/2 inch all around). Place them in a pot of water on the stove (with about a 1/2 tsp. of salt). Cook on medium heat and bring to a boil. When the potatoes are tender to the touch, remove them from the stove and place in a strainer. Let cool. In a medium-size bowl, combine the eggs, 1/4 tsp. salt, dill weed, crushed garlic, and chopped (thawed) spinach. Mix well, and set aside. Using a 10-inch skillet, place 1-2 tbsp. of canola oil in the skillet on medium heat. When the oil is heated, pour the sweet potatoes into the skillet and cook for about 3-5 minutes.

(note the size of the sweet potato pieces)

Pour the egg mixture over the sweet potatoes, moving the mixture around to ensure that the potatoes are evenly coated. Cook the potato and egg mixture for approximately 12-14 minutes. Shake the skillet back and forth to make sure the mixture doesn't stick to the bottom, and to test for doneness. Be care full not to burn the bottom of the omelet.

(you can see here that the liquid hasn't completely evaporated yet)

When just about all the liquid has evaporated from the omelet, place a large plate over the top of the skillet (put oven mitts on first!), and flip the omelet over onto the plate. Put another tbsp. of canola oil in the skillet, then carefully slide the omelet back in. Cook for no more than 3-5 minutes. Place another plate on top of the omelet in the skillet, and flip it over onto the plate.

Let the omelet cool for 20 minutes on the counter or in the refrigerator. Cut the omelet into small, bit-size pieces (approximately 1 inch in diameter). Arrange on a plate, and place a toothpick in each piece. Serve cold, or at room temperature.

Makes about 45 omelet bites. Be sure to refrigerate the leftovers.

Hungry for More? 
You can add shredded cheese to this appetizer (mix in with the egg batter) for added richness.

Happy Eating!