The Strammer max is a typical dish of German cuisine, similar to a French croque-monsieur.
A typical dish of home cooking and the Kneipen of eastern Germany (Saxony and Berlin), it is prepared with bread, eggs, butter, German Kochschinken ham.
There are common variations such as:
Strammer Otto: with roast beef instead of ham.
Strammer Moritz/Lotte/Luise: with salami or prosciutto.
In some more recent versions, cheese (Gouda or Emmental) or tomato slices are added on top of the ham, or crispy bacon or sausage.
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very cheap
- Preparation time: 5 Minutes
- Portions: 4 Pieces
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: German
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
- 4 slices rustic bread (Mischbrot or Graubrot)
- as needed butter
- 4 slices Kochschinken (or cooked ham)
- 4 eggs
- as needed chives
- as needed salt and pepper
Steps
Spread a thin layer of butter on both sides of the bread slices.
Toast in a pan (or in the oven) until crispy and lightly golden.Place the slices of cooked ham (I grilled them) on each hot slice of bread.
In the same pan, melt more butter or a bit of oil.
Fry two eggs sunny side up with the yolk still runny, lightly salting them.
Place one egg on top of each slice of bread and ham.Sprinkle with finely chopped chives and freshly ground black pepper.
Serve hot, ideally with pickles on the side.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
What Italian ham can I use to replace the German ham in the Strammer max?
The German Kochschinken (used in the Strammer Max) is a thick-sliced cooked ham, delicate yet firm.
If you want to replace it with something similar in Italy, here are the best options:
✅ Ideal substitutes in Italy:
High-quality cooked ham (preferably smoked or slightly spiced)
Roasted shoulder: more intense flavor, great in the pan
Thick slices of turkey roast (for a lighter version)
Cooked speck (not smoked) or lean porchetta for a rustic touch
❌ Avoid:
Raw ham (too salty and dry when cooked)
Too aged or fatty cured meats (don’t hold up well when cooking)
You can also slightly grill the ham, as done in some Berlin variants.
