From an after-school snack to late-night diner fare, each gooey, buttery bite of a grilled cheese packs an element of nostalgia for everyone. Italians enjoy a classic grilled cheese sandwich of their own, but as the mercury starts to drop, pane fritto imbottito, or a fried grilled cheese sandwich with ham, emerges as the ultimate winter comfort food.
Making pane fritto imbottito
This simple recipe will satiate the entire family. For some extra pointers, check out the gallery above.
Ingredients
12 slices of hard sandwich bread (about ½″ thick)
3 large eggs
2 Tbsp. Parmigiano cheese, grated
½ cup whole milk
all-purpose flour
breadcrumbs
salt
pepper
nutmeg
extra-virgin olive oil to taste.
For the filling:
⅔ lb. prosciutto cotto or ham, sliced
4 oz. fontina cheese, sliced
Assemble, batter, and fry
Cover 6 slices of bread with a slice of ham and a slice of fontina cheese, then top with the second slice of bread to form a sandwich. In four different bowls, prepare the breading – one bowl for the milk, one for the flour, one for the beaten eggs (whisked with salt, pepper, and nutmeg to taste), and finally, one for the breadcrumbs mixed with the grated Parmigiano cheese. Dunk the sandwiches in the milk (soak for a second without letting them get soggy), then in the flour, followed by the eggs and breadcrumbs. In a pan, heat a thin layer of extra-virgin olive oil. Once hot, add the breaded sandwiches and fry on both sides until golden brown. Serve hot.