Have you ever tasted FRENCH TOAST?
If you’ve had the chance to travel abroad, especially to the United States, you’ve certainly found sweet French Toast in breakfast buffets or cafes, usually made with sliced bread or brioche soaked in a milk and egg mixture, served with honey or maple syrup.
Nowadays, it’s more common to see this type of sandwich in a savory version, suitable not only for breakfast time but also for a quick and tasty lunch.
The uniqueness of the savory FRENCH TOAST recipe, which distinguishes it from a simple sandwich, is that the slices of bread are dipped in a milk and egg mixture and then fried in a pan for a couple of minutes.
This crucial step instantly elevates this toast to a whole other level, transforming a simple last-minute sandwich into a delicious, rich, and cheesy dish with the same speed and ease of execution.
If in the sweet FRENCH TOAST recipe brioche is usually used, which is slightly sweet due to its ingredients, for the savory version, I preferred to opt for classic sandwich bread.
The filling of this savory FRENCH TOAST recipe is the classic ham and cheese, but you can also choose different fillings based on your tastes and use what you already have in the fridge, such as vegetables, other types of cold cuts and/or cheeses, avocado, and eggs, or whatever your imagination suggests, making these French toasts an excellent recycling recipe.
If you’ve never made them, this is the perfect opportunity: they’re fast, practical, economical, and delicious, and they can save your lunch or dinner.
I’ll leave you with other recipes made with bread and how to make homemade Pan Bauletto
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Cooking time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cuisine: Italian
- Energy 679.13 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 56.59 (g) of which sugars 7.34 (g)
- Proteins 37.48 (g)
- Fat 33.01 (g) of which saturated 16.35 (g)of which unsaturated 13.35 (g)
- Fibers 3.33 (g)
- Sodium 3,081.16 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 150 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 8 slices bread (for toast, sandwich bread)
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup milk
- 4 slices ham (cooked, raw)
- 8 slices cheese (melty cheese)
- to taste salt
- 1 pinch black pepper (optional)
- 2 tbsp butter
Tools
- Bowl
- Pan
Steps
Break the eggs into a bowl, add the milk, and beat with a fork. Add a pinch of salt and pepper (optional) and mix everything together.
Fill the savory FRENCH TOAST by placing a slice of cheese on each bread slice, then the ham slices on only 4 slices, and finally close the toast.
In a non-stick pan, put the butter and melt it over medium-low heat.
Dip the savory FRENCH TOAST in the egg and milk mixture.
When the butter is melted, place the French toasts and fry them for a couple of minutes on each side until they become golden and crispy.
Once ready, remove them from the heat and place them on a plate with paper towels to remove excess grease. Serve the savory FRENCH TOAST immediately while still hot and melty.
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NOTES
The classic recipe for SAVORY FRENCH TOAST includes cooked ham and melty cheese, but you can replace one or both of these ingredients with other deli meats and cheeses. The important thing is that the cheese melts easily and is sliced thinly.
Alternative fillings can include: feta and grilled vegetables, feta, avocado and eggs, avocado and salmon, scrambled eggs and bacon, guacamole and tomatoes; the combinations are virtually endless.
Regarding cooking, some prefer to assemble the French Toast first and then dip it completely in the milk and egg mixture before frying, while others dip only the bread in the mixture and cook it unfurnished before assembling it later.
The common denominator, at the end of the filling, is the toasting, which can be done on a non-stick pan, a griddle, or a double-heated plate toaster. The classic toaster cannot be used as it is not suitable for toasting bread soaked in batter.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
Why is it called French Toast?
Simple and obvious at the same time: the bar owner who first prepared this recipe was named Joseph French.
How many calories does a French Toast have?
A portion of savory French Toast made with cooked ham and cheese like a slice contains about 230 calories per 100 g. Naturally, the calories vary depending on the type of bread used (white or whole grain), the type of deli meat or cheese, the amount of egg and milk mixture, and whether it’s fried in butter or oil.
