Savory Charlotte

The Savory Charlotte is an elegant and versatile preparation, especially suitable as an appetizer or as a main dish for a special dinner. Here’s how to prepare an Italian version of this dish.

Ingredients

• 400 g of sandwich bread (crustless) or toasted bread
• 250 g of cooked ham slices
• 200 g of Fontina cheese or another cheese of choice, sliced
• 4 eggs
• 300 ml of fresh cream
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Butter for greasing the mold
• Aromatic herbs to taste (e.g., thyme, parsley)
• Extra virgin olive oil for brushing

Preparation

1. Start by greasing a Charlotte mold or a springform pan with a diameter of about 20 cm with butter. Line the bottom and sides of the mold with sandwich bread slices, overlapping them slightly and letting them extend over the edges.
2. Beat the eggs with the fresh cream, salt, and pepper until you get a homogeneous mixture. Add the finely chopped aromatic herbs.
3. Begin layering in the following order: a base of bread, then slices of cooked ham, followed by slices of cheese. Pour some of the egg and cream mixture over each layer.
4. Continue to compose the layers until the mold is filled. The last layer should be bread, which you will fold over to close the Charlotte.
5. Brush the last layer of bread with extra virgin olive oil.
6. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 °C for about 30-40 minutes or until the surface is golden brown and the Charlotte is well-cooked inside.
7. Let it cool slightly before unmolding and serving.

Did you know?

The Charlotte can be either sweet or savory. In its sweet version, it is often filled with Bavarian cream or fruit and topped with ladyfingers or biscuits. In savory versions, on the other hand, it becomes a rich and substantial single dish that lends itself to many variations, depending on tastes and available ingredients.