Prosciutto, Apple, and Brie Monte Cristos

This is a great sandwich! The combination of pungent Dijon, salty prosciutto, sweet apple and creamy brie is delicious! The recipe calls for adding honey to the Dijon but I liked it better without the honey because the apple brings enough sweetness to the sandwich (adding honey to the mustard makes it too sweet, in my opinion). I prefer to slather straight Dijon (and lots of it) on the slices of bread!

For bread, I used Portland French Rustic Wheat Bread. Whatever you choose, definitely go with a hearty bread.

Don’t feel like doing the whole dipping in egg thing? Skip the egg and allspice bath and just grill the sandwich. Delish!

Prosciutto, Apple, and Brie Monte Cristos
-recipe from Fine Cooking Magazine 

A decadent cross between French toast and ham and cheese sandwiches, these Monte Cristos are also good with pear instead of apple. Serves 4.

2 Tbs. Dijon mustard
2 Tbs. honey
8 3/4-inch-thick slices crusty artisan-style bread (if necessary, cut on an angle to make sandwich-size slices)
6 oz. Brie, thinly sliced
3 oz. thinly sliced prosciutto
1 small, crisp, sweet apple, such as Gala or Fuji, cored and thinly sliced
4 large eggs
1/2 tsp. ground allspice
1-1/2 oz. (3 Tbs.) unsalted butter
Kosher salt

Combine the mustard and honey in a small bowl. Set the bread slices on a work surface and spread one side of each with the mustard mixture, dividing it evenly. Top 4 of the bread slices with the Brie, prosciutto, apple slices, and then the remaining 4 slices of bread, mustard side down.

Beat the eggs and allspice in a large shallow bowl.

Melt 1-1/2 Tbs. of the butter in a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Dip both sides of two of the sandwiches into the eggs. Cook, covered, until the bottom sides are golden, about 3 minutes. Carefully flip and continue cooking, covered, until the other sides are golden, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate and keep warm. Repeat with the remaining butter and sandwiches. Cut the sandwiches in half, sprinkle with salt, and serve.