# What the hell is Italian bread? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 11, 2008, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-italian-bread/456100 "2008-07-11T06:50:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2008, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-italian-bread/456100/21 "2008-07-13T15:40:39Z")
Omelets are (vaguely) the same size and shape as tortillas, but omelets are made from eggs, which tortillas aren’t (as far as I know). ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2008, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-italian-bread/456100/22 "2008-07-13T15:47:41Z")
I forgot to add that here’s the Wikipedia entry on omelets: > **[Omelette](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omelette)** > > In cuisine, an omelette (also spelled omelet) is a dish made from eggs, fried with butter or oil in a frying pan. It is quite common for the omelette to be folded around fillings such as chives, vegetables, mushrooms, meat (often ham or bacon), cheese, onions or some combination of the above. Whole eggs or egg whites are often beaten with a small amount of milk, cream, or water. > The earliest omelettes are believed to have originated in ancient Persia.: 65  According to Breakfast: A History, they... ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2008, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-italian-bread/456100/23 "2008-07-13T18:25:20Z")
[QUOTE=Wendell Wagner] Omelets are (vaguely) the same size and shape as tortillas, but omelets are made from eggs, which tortillas aren’t (as far as I know). [/QUOTE] Spanish tortillas, not Mexican. It’s in your first link. You yourself say it’s the Spanish word for omelet. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2008, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-italian-bread/456100/24 "2008-07-13T19:57:51Z")
[QUOTE=pulykamell] Spanish tortillas, not Mexican. It’s in your first link. You yourself say it’s the Spanish word for omelet. [/QUOTE] Specifically, “tortilla espanol” is a popular and typical dish, often served as tapas, made from eggs, potatoes, and onions. Yum yum. To prepare at home: cut potatoes and onions into half-discs and cook as for home fries in a small cast iron pan with plenty of butter or olive oil. When completely cooked and ready to serve, pour 4-6 scrambled eggs over all. Cook without stirring until the edges look cooked (but the center is still runny), then fire briefly under a broiler so the top is browned. Remove from oven, cool for several minutes, invert onto a plate, and cut into wedges. Serve hot or cold. ---
**Author:** ![susan\_foster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@susan\_foster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan_foster)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2008, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-italian-bread/456100/25 "2008-07-14T00:03:24Z")
Wendell - here’s a link about Spanish tortillas, which describes a Spanish tortilla as the best of all omelets. [http://www.taunton.com/finecooking/articles/how-to/spanish-tortilla.aspx](http://www.taunton.com/finecooking/articles/how-to/spanish-tortilla.aspx) Susan [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-italian-bread/456100.md?page=1)