Anne’s Croûtes au Fromage
This recipe from Leelanau Cheese’s Anne Hoyt is the amped-up, eat-with-a-fork-and-knife (bien sûr) French-Swiss version of an American grilled cheese sandwich. For an attractive brunch presentation, bake in individual gratin dishes and serve topped with thin slices of prosciutto and/or a fried egg. (We tried it with a fried egg on top!)
Thank you to John and Anne Hoyt, founders of Leelanau Cheese, for the recipe! Read their story in the January 2018 issue of Traverse, Northern Michigan's Magazine!
Makes 2–4 servings
Ingredients
- ½ teaspoon olive or canola oil
- 2 eggs, separated
- 1 cup milk
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- Pinch each kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Pinch nutmeg
- 8 ounces Leelanau Cheese raclette, grated
- ½–¾ cup dry white wine
- 2–3 large slices (about 3/4-inch thick) day-old dense white or wheat bread*
Directions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Grease an 8 x 8-inch glass or similar-sized ceramic baking dish with oil. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk egg yolks with milk, garlic, salt, pepper and nutmeg. In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until shiny and stiff. Gently fold egg whites and cheese into egg yolk mixture.
Pour wine into a shallow dish or pie plate and lightly soak bread on both sides. Place bread in baking dish and cover with egg-cheese mixture. Bake 10 to 15 minutes on middle oven rack until slightly puffed and golden on top.
Serve immediately.
*If only fresh bread is available, cut slices and set out at room temperature, uncovered, for a couple of hours before starting recipe, turning over now and then to dry out evenly; alternatively, lightly toast bread before soaking in wine.
