Rolled pepper, tomato and herb omelette fingers

Ingredients

Makes 6 baby portions of 3 omelette fingers, about one egg's worth. The 3 rolled omelettes are breakfast for 2 adults and the baby, with a couple of baby portions left for lunch..

• 1 red pepper, roasted, skinned, deseeded and finely chopped
• 1 medium tomato, skinned, deseeded and finely chopped
• 6 eggs
• 6 basil leaves, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh chives or parsley, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp olive oil, for the pan

Method

1. 1

   Grill the whole pepper under a high heat, turning, for 10 to 15 minutes until the skin is blackened all over. Seal it in a covered bowl for 10 minutes, then slip off the skin, discard the seeds and chop the soft flesh finely.

2. 2

   Score a cross in the tomato, cover it with just-boiled water for a minute, then peel, deseed and chop it finely. Pat it dry on kitchen paper so the omelettes do not go watery.

3. 3

   Whisk the eggs in a jug until no streaks of white remain, then stir in the pepper, tomato and herbs.

4. 4

   Heat a third of the oil in a 24 to 26 cm non-stick frying pan over a medium-low heat. Pour in a third of the egg and tilt the pan so it spreads thinly. Cover with a lid and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until the top is completely set and dry, with no wet or glossy egg left.

5. 5

   Roll the omelette up tightly in the pan with a spatula, cook the log for another 30 seconds on each side, and tip it onto a board. Repeat with the rest of the egg to make three logs.

6. 6

   Cool for a few minutes, then cut each log into pieces about the length of an adult finger. Cut one open to check there is no runny egg inside, and squash one between your finger and thumb: it should give easily.

How to serve it by age

The same recipe changes shape and texture as your baby’s grip and chewing change. Find your baby’s age band.

1. 1

   6–8 months

   Two or three rolled fingers at a time, firm enough to hold in a fist but soft enough to squash between your finger and thumb. Your baby holds one end and gnaws the other; expect a lot of unrolling and squeezing at first.

2. 2

   9–11 months

   Rolled fingers sliced into small soft pieces about 1 cm across for pincer practice, with a whole finger to bite. Add soft fruit, such as ripe pear or mango strips, on the side.

3. 3

   12 months+

   Whole rolled omelettes, sliced, as the family eats them, or tucked into a soft wrap for lunch. Keep serving egg often, as regular eating helps keep it in the diet.

Choking: what to watch

Well-cooked egg is low risk, but rubbery or dry egg can make a baby gag, so the omelettes are cooked gently under a lid and kept moist rather than browned hard. Pepper and tomato skins are tough and can come away in a sheet in the mouth, so both are skinned, and the flesh is finely chopped so there are no firm pieces. Rolling makes a finger-shaped log that suits a baby who grabs with a fist.

Whatever you serve, stay within arm’s reach, keep your baby upright in a supportive seat, and never let them eat in a moving car, buggy or carrier. Gagging is loud and normal. Choking is silent.

Allergens

If this is your baby’s first taste of egg, it is easier to offer it on its own first, in a small amount, early in the day, so you can watch for a reaction over the next two hours. Once it is going well, keep it in their diet regularly. Hives, vomiting or swelling mean call your pediatrician; any trouble breathing means call your emergency number.

Iron

Storing and freezing

Cool and refrigerate within two hours; cooked egg keeps two days in the fridge. Freeze the fingers flat on a tray, then bag them in baby portions, for up to a month. Reheat once until piping hot all the way through, then cool, or serve cold from the fridge.

How sure is this?

• Guideline. Egg can be introduced from around six months, well cooked, and then kept in the diet regularly, per the AAP and the NHS.
• Guideline. Firm or slippery pieces, such as raw vegetables and tough skins, are choking risks for babies, so vegetables are cooked soft and skinned, per the AAP.
• Common practice, little evidence. Rolling or cutting a firm omelette into finger-length pieces for a young baby is a common baby-led weaning practice. It follows the choking advice on soft, holdable shapes, but it has not been studied on its own.

Common questions

Reference material

Guidance on this page follows the sources listed below.

• • AAP Clinical Report — Early Introduction of Allergenic Foods
• • NHS — Your baby's first solid foods
• • American Academy of Pediatrics — Choking Prevention
• • USDA FoodData Central — nutrient values