Savory Cheesy French Toast

Whether you’re a sweet person or not

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This week’s newsletter is all about savory French toast. For those of you who are keeping Passover, forgive me. I recently did a recipe for NYT Cooking for an overnight-soaked sweet French toast made out of thick slabs of (hopefully homemade) sourdough that get all caramelized on a sheet pan in the oven. I thought a savory version done the same way would be damn good too. I mean, it doesn’t take a genius to know that creamy, custardy, but still-chewy-on-the-edges slabs of bread with Parmesan and Gruyère is going to be good. But this is really good. And easy. You could have it for brunch, but it works just as well for lunch or dinner with a few additions or embellishments. Use it as a base for, say, ham and spinach, asparagus, mushrooms, or caramelized onions. Or set one (or half of one) afloat on a bowl of any kind of soup, for a French-onion effect.

Here’s what I like about cooking French toast in the oven:

• It doesn’t require your constant attention

• It doesn’t mess up the stove

• It takes as much time and effort to make twelve servings as it does to make two. When we start having people over again, that will be an important consideration

• It comes out really well

Like so many of you, I discovered sourdough baking during the pandemic. Not to sound clichéd, but it was a balm for the soul, and the bread tasted pretty good too. And now I’m popular with my friends and neighbors! All of this is what got me thinking about caramelizing big hunks of it — almost cubes of it — so it could be crunchy and burnished on all sides. I even tried one batch of the sweet version as actual cubes that I carved into submission, but scrapped it, mostly because of the waste and extra work involved. It looked pretty cool though, and you could do the same with this savory variety if you’re not a crust person. 

I was also thinking about Monte Cristo sandwiches — a favorite diner order of mine as a kid, but even then, I asked them to “hold the sugar”. For those who are unfamiliar with this outmoded recipe, it was a ham and cheese sandwich dipped in egg, pan-fried or deep-fried and finished with a blizzard of confectioners’ sugar. It never made sense to me to sweeten this delicious concoction. It also calls to mind the Croque Monsieur, which I got very good at making for Steve Martin for a scene in “It’s Complicated”. More on that another day…

I cut these slices a bit thinner than the sweet version, partly so they could soak for less time, but really, the world is your oyster, so if you want to go thick and dramatic, and have time for an overnight soak, go for it. I really like a resealable plastic bag for soaking the bread (even though I try to avoid using them and writing them into recipes) because it’s so easy to get the bread slices to lay flat in a single layer so they can soak up the custard, and it makes it easy to flip it frequently. It just works. But something like a big Pyrex works well too, it’s just not as handy.

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UPDATE ON CINNAMON BUTTER MUFFINS:

Last week I wrote about the Cinnamon Butter Muffins from the Commissary and was lamenting not being able to find Anne Clark (the head baker at the Commissary) or the origins of this recipe. As soon as I published my newsletter, some of you came forward to tell me that you made this recipe in Home Ec. (For those who are too young to remember, this was a fun class where you got to cook at school.) I also heard from students of Anne Clark in her real career as a teacher (in those days being a lifelong cook or baker wasn’t a thing). I got her email address and we corresponded. It seems that she had gotten the recipe, originally called French Breakfast Puffs, from a Betty Crocker cookbook published in the 50’s. She replaced half the shortening with butter, and upped the baking powder a little, which definitely results in an airier muffin with a distinct muffin top, which I think is a major improvement because it gives you those crunchy edges. Here’s what Anne had to say about the muffins. “…they are popular and go by several names. Dirt Bombs would not be my favorite one. One of my favorite variations was to add coarsely ground fresh cranberries and orange rind to the batter”. Now that sounds good. 

My friend Christine Tobin still has her Home Ec recipes and shared them with me (see below). I also heard that the recipe, going by its original name French Breakfast Puffs was published in The Breakfast Book by the late, great, Marion Cunningham. I have this book, but not with me, so I couldn’t verify how she attributes the recipes roots. I hope you were inspired to try this recipe!

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Savory Cheesy French Toast

click here for a printable version

SERVES 6

I love how cooking French toast hands-off in the oven gives me twenty minutes to do other things, instead of standing over the stove like a short-order cook. I like to make this with a nice airy sourdough loaf, but you can use any bread you want, even a baguette cut thickly on the bias, just adjust soaking times accordingly. The asparagus are optional, but they do round out the dish to make it more of a full brunch dish. A few slices of ham and you’re done. If you use a boule (round loaf), cut each large slice in half, and if you use a batard (oblong loaf), cut full slices. If you have buttermilk in your fridge, consider using it for half of the liquid to add a little tang.

6 ¾-inch thick slices sourdough bread
4 large eggs
1½ cups milk (any kind)
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
Pinch of cayenne
2 ounces grated Parmesan cheese, divided
½ bunch asparagus
Olive oil
½ ounce grated Gruyère cheese
½ teaspoon dried thyme or 1 teaspoon fresh
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1. Heat oven to 425°F. In a medium bowl, thoroughly whisk together the eggs, milk, ¼ teaspoon salt, pepper, cayenne, and 1 ounce of Parmesan. Place the bread slices in a resealable plastic bag large enough to hold them in a single layer, or in a shallow dish. Pour the egg mixture into the bag and seal it. Let it soak, turning frequently, until it has absorbed most of the liquid, about 30 minutes. 

2. Meanwhile, toss the asparagus with enough olive oil to coat, and season lightly with salt and pepper. Set aside.

3. Preheat a sheet pan for 5 minutes. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter on the sheet pan, spreading it evenly. Spread the remaining Parmesan on a small plate, and lightly dip each side of a slice of bread in the cheese as you transfer them to the sheet pan. 

4. Bake for 10 minutes. It should be deep golden brown on the first side, but if it’s not, bake a few minutes longer. As you turn each piece, tuck slivers of the remaining tablespoon of butter under the pieces of toast. Sprinkle the Gruyère evenly over the tops, and scatter the asparagus around the bread, making sure it comes in contact with the pan.

5. Bake for another 10 minutes until golden brown on the bottom. Serve immediately with the asparagus on the side or on top.