To the library.
I’ve no idea if this originated on the island of Montecristo or if it appears the literary classic that shares the same name, but it’s bloody good.
How could it not be? Fontina, parma ham, mayo, oven dried tomatoes and fresh pesto between two slabs of Italian toasting bread. And as if that wasn’t enough, this sandwich is then soaked in what can only be described as carbonara sauce before taking a turn in the pan. So, it’s basically a sarnie on steroids.
After frying in a liberal amount of butter (it makes everything better, I can’t pretend otherwise) until golden brown and crisp, the unctuous filling tries to escape and the bread, which, having been suspended in eggy cheesy cream develops a custardy texture rather like a good bread and butter pud.
It’s not very often that sandwiches make me ponder great works of literature, but I can’t help but wonder if more of the classics had molten cheese dishes ascribed to them, might I have read a few more?
Ingredients (serves two greedy folk)
- 2 eggs
- 4 tbsp full fat mayonnaise
- 4 slices good quality white toasting bread
- 300g prosciutto
- A handful oven dried tomatoes
- 4 tbsp green pesto
- 350g fontina cheese
- 50g Parmesan – grated hard goats cheese also works well
- 50ml milk
- 50ml cream
- Butter for frying
- Sea salt and black pepper
Method
- In a bowl combine the eggs, milk and cream with a scrunch of sea salt and a little pepper and lightly whisk.
- Make your sandwiches, spreading each of the insides with mayo and filling them with cheese and ham, top one side with the tomatoes and pesto and place the other slab on top, gently press down.
- Bring a pan to a medium heat and add a large knob of butter, while you’re waiting for it to foam, coat the sandwiches in the egg mixture, then fry them gently on both sides until golden brown and the cheese has melted.
