Civil War Era Omelette Fritters Recipe (1864)

 

In the midst of the Civil War, when kitchens were stripped down to whatever ingredients could be spared, creativity often became the most important tool a cook owned. Imagine the clatter of cast-iron skillets over an open hearth, the smell of wood smoke weaving through a farmhouse kitchen, and the sight of eggs—precious but still more available than meat—being whisked. 

To stretch a meal further, thrifty hands dipped those eggs into a simple pancake batter, turning them into omelette fritters. Golden at the edges and hearty at the center, they were a way to create a meal out of few ingredients. 

Step into the kitchen and see how these simple ingredients come together to make omelette fritters—the Civil War’s ingenious twist on eggs and pancakes.

Civil War Era Omelette Fritters Recipe

Ingredients:

Omelette

- 6 Eggs

- Basil, minced

- Pancake Batter

Fried Parsley

- Bunch of Parsley

- Oil for frying

Instructions:

Whisk 2–3 eggs with salt and chopped fresh basil. Heat a nonstick skillet with a bit of butter over medium heat. Pour in the eggs and let them set slightly. Gently stir, then cook until mostly set. Flip when the bottom has started to brown. Put the omelette on a plate and let cool. Make 2-3 thin omelettes. 

Heat 1 inch of lard or vegetable oil in a deep pan to around 350°F (175°C). Roll up the omelettes stick with toothpicks and cut into 1/2 inch pieces and dip in pancake batter. Remove the toothpicks and use a slotted spoon to place in oil/lard. When the fritters are finished, Carefully drop in a few sprigs of parsley at a time; they will crisp up in just 5–10 seconds. Immediately remove them with a slotted spoon and place on a towel or in a colander to drain. Let it cool. The parsley should be crispy.  

Make a thin omelette.

Roll with toothpicks.

Slice between the toothpicks before dipping in batter.

 Fried parsley may seem weird today, but it had a dry crunchy, seaweed type taste and was frequently served with fish dishes in the past. Pancakes at the time were often served rolled up with sifted sugar, molasses or wine sauce on top.