The Monte Cristo sandwich is a classic sandwich that has been around for quite some time. Let’s revitalize the classic sandwich with this modernized version.  In this  grilled monte cristo sandwich recipe we use serrano ham, swiss and provolone cheeses and quality bread.

Ingredients

Arguably the most important ingredient in any sandwich is the bread.  For a monte cristo (particularly one that will be placed on the grill) it’s even more important than usual. The bread is going to be smashed, coated and then placed on a hot grill for several minutes. For this reason it’s crucial to obtain a high quality bread that will hold up to the punishment.

A whole loaf of white country bread is ideal for this. Getting it unsliced is the way to go since it will allow you to cut the slices to the precise thickness that you need.  Thicker is usually better but be aware that too thick and the crust will break when it’s time to press down the sandwich. Using the standard white loaf that you find at you neighborhood grocery store isn’t ideal, but if that’s all that available, use less ham and cheese, or place an extra slice of bread in the middle to produce a heftier sandwich.

Slather each slice of bread with a generous amount of dijon mustard. Then alternate between placing slices of the serrano ham and cheese. Provolone and swiss work well, but any cheese that tickles your fancy should work as long as its is meltable. Keeping each layer even is key.  Having a lopsided set of layers will make it more difficult for the monte cristo to stay intact during the cooking process.

Take one egg a beat well in a bowl big enough to fit the sandwich. Press the sandwich down flat (without mutilating it) then turn over and press the sandwich down from the other side.  In general the sandwich should retain its shape but lose thickness. Once flattened, dip it in the bowl and coat it with beaten egg.

Cooking

Place on the grill and cook on each side for about 10 minutes on each side.  Once off the grill, coat with powdered sugar.