Chef's Notes
Rich and filling this sandwich is a great way to take yourself on an afternoon trip to France.
Step 1: Making the Mornay Sauce
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups milk, tempered
- 1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- pinch of white pepper
- 1/4 cup grated Gruyère cheese
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
To make the Mornay sauce, which is basically a béchamel with cheese, first melt the butter in a small pot over medium low heat. Once the butter melts, add the flour and stir. Let cook for about a minute or two, then slowly add the tempered milk while whisking continuously (if you haven’t made a béchamel sauce before, please see this lesson How to Make Béchamel Sauce). Add the fresh nutmeg (you can use dried, but the fresh is especially nice), and season with the salt and pepper. Then turn off the heat and add the Gruyère and Parmesan cheese. Set aside.
Step 2: Toasting the Bread
- 8 pieces bread (preferably something like Brioche or Italian)
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
Preheat your oven to 400° Fahrenheit. Butter both sides of the bread, place onto a baking tray and place into the oven (middle rack). Toast for a few minutes on each side until lightly golden. Then remove from the oven (leaving oven on) and start assembling.
Step 3: Assembling the Sandwiches
- 8 to 16 pieces plain ham (1 or 2 per sandwich)
- 1 to 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 2 cups grated Gruyère cheese
Spread a bit of Dijon on one side of each piece of bread. Top with one or two pieces of ham. Add a bit of cheese to each sandwich, about 2 tablespoons per sandwich (you want to save about 1 cup to top the sandwiches).
Spoon one tablespoon of Mornay on each half, then top with another piece of bread.
Place the sandwiches onto your baking tray then top each sandwich with the remaining sauce. Letting it spread out and cover the edges of the bread. Then top each sandwich with the remaining cheese.
Step 4: Cooking the Sandwiches
Place the sandwiches into the oven and cook for 2 or 3 minutes. Then turn on the broiler and cook for another minute or so…or until the cheese has melted and just starts to bubble and turn a light golden brown.
Step 5: Pan-Frying the Eggs
- 2 tsp unsalted butter
- 4 large eggs
- kosher salt (to taste)
- freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
Using a non-stick pan, melt the butter over medium to medium-low heat. Add the eggs and cook sunny side up (or however you prefer them). Once ready, place one egg on top of each sandwich.
Step 6: Serving the Sandwich
Serve each delicious sandwich with a knife and fork and a nice frisée salad…and enjoy!