- 1 quart oil for frying, or as needed
- 2/3 cup water
- 1 egg
- 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 8 slices white bread
- 4 slices Gruyere cheese
- 4 oz shaved ham (roughly the same as 4 slices)
- 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar for dusting (optional)
- Many add Turkey also, I prefer to leave off. If you choose to add, just add less ham, and the same amount of Turkey in its place. I like both shaved, as it melds better with the cheese, when its fried.
This is my version of a Monte Cristo Sandwich. Who doesn't love a grilled cheese? This is basically a twist on that but using grown up ingredients. Gruyere cheese, Ham, and then deep frying it.
1.Heat 5 inches of oil in a deep-fryer to 365 degrees F (180 degrees C). While oil is heating, make the batter: In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg and water. Combine the flour, baking powder, salt and pepper; whisk into the egg mixture until smooth. Set aside in the refrigerator.
2.Assemble sandwiches by placing shaved ham on bread, then sandwich them with the Swiss cheese in the middle. Cut sandwiches into quarters, and secure with toothpicks.
3.Dip each sandwich quarter in the batter so that all sides are coated. Deep fry in the hot oil until golden brown on all sides. Remove toothpicks and arrange on a serving tray. Dust with confectioners' sugar just before serving.
While the traditional jelly to serve this with is Currant Jelly. I like mine with Hot Pepper Jelly mixed with a dollop of cream cheese (that has been pre-softened in the microwave for about 10seconds). It sounds odd, but trust me it adds a nice zip to this old favorite!
Also some people like to serve with a Bechamel sauce (fancy name for classic white sauce), I like to sometimes serve with a Mornay sauce, which is basically a Bechamel sauce that adds swiss cheese to the mix. I will posts these sauces in a seperate post.
This is a great dish for a brunch family get together.
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