Things that are good to have:
- Friends who go to Italy and bring you back giant pieces of incredible parmigiana cheese. You know who you are, and giant hugs to you.
- Jars of Stonewall Kitchen jam. We’ve been over this before in previous posts, but it bears repeating.
- A loaf of crusty bread, either your own homemade version or a loaf from your favorite bakery.
If you have both of these things, you are halfway to a fabulous sandwich. And while cheese that has been personally carried through Customs is the best-tasting of all, you can also get a lovely chunk of it at your local deli and it will be almost as good, and then you are still very close to the previously-mentioned fabulous sandwich. Hungry for a ham and parmesan sandwich with jam? Let’s make one…or two!
Get a nice pile of very thin-sliced ham (just ask at your deli counter and they will slice it nice and paper thin for you). Take your loaf of scrumptious bread and slice it on the diagonal in 1/2 inch slices (so that you get nice big slices), and brush both sides with olive oil. Now comes one of the most critical parts of this sandwich, which is The Grilling Of The Bread. I am all about grilling bread. There’s something about that slightly charred grill taste that just makes my heart beat faster. You ARE going to have that moment where you think, is this really worth turning on the grill? Just to grill a few pieces of bread?
Trust me. It is. (And if by chance you don’t have access to a grill, you can toast it. You don’t need to go without this sandwich.)
Once you have your bread all nice and crusty, you are five minutes from heaven. Slather on some raspberry jam (or cherry, or strawberry. Anything red is pretty much perfect.) Layer on some thin-sliced ham, and then some parmesan that you have shaved with your handy vegetable peeler. Hold it up to your nose and inhale deeply…sweet and salty and slightly grill-smelling, and then open wide and take a crunchy/salty/sweet bite.
My work is done here. 🙂
- Sourdough or other hearty bread, sliced ¼ to ½ inch thick
- Olive oil
- Raspberry jam (cherry and strawberry would also work fine!)
- Thin-sliced ham
- Parmesan cheese, shaved into thin pieces with a vegetable peeler
- Heat grill to medium high. Brush both sides of bread with olive oil and grill on both sides until slightly charred. (You can also toast it if you don't have a grill.)
- Spread bread with jam, and then layer on ham and shaved cheese.
- Enjoy!!
This recipe looks really really good. I'm gonna try it soon as I'm addicted to Parmesan cheese!
I recently wrote an article on how real Parmesan cheese is made and on its nutritional value. Check it out and let me know your thoughts, I would really appreciated it!
http://www.theironyou.com/2011/06/how-parmesan-cheese-comes-to-life.html
Peace
Mike @TheIronYou
Really an interesting combo. I bet the salty Parmesan is divine with the sweet jam!
Yum! And I have a nice wedge of parm in my fridge right now as well as some of my own homemade jam. Just need some really good bread and really good shaved ham.
Oy. I have ZERO of these two things! How sad is THAT?
The one day I run out of parmesan cheese, here you go posting this. Tomorrow. I'm hitting the store.
Friends that go to Italy are GOOD! 🙂
I have never combined jam with ham and cheese, you have made me curious. I have a huge slab of parmigiano in the fridge… Mmmmm!
It’s the sweet and salty thing that makes this work – my favorite combo! Give it a try. 🙂
That is such an interesting and delicious combination of flavors, Kate! I would’ve never thought to combine parmesan and jam, but I bet the sweetness of the jam goes really well with the saltiness of the ham and parmesan 😉 Thanks for sharing!
Kennedy, you hit the nail right on the head – sweet and salty! I can’t resist that combo. 🙂
Mmm I love the ease of this sandwich! Ham and Parmesan with jam sounds incredible, and so easy too! What a perfect lunch or snack!
And I need to admit I have made it for dinner, too. Sandwich night!
I think very little is more exciting than some fresh Italian parm. It goes in so many things! And this sandwich looks delicious. Now I want a serious sandwich for lunch!
I always have a serious hunk of parm – the really good stuff – in my fridge. For, you know, emergencies. 🙂
This looks amazing♥ Delish♥
summerdaisy.net
It’s my favorite was to have ham and cheese!
you’re my ham-and-jam hero! this sounds wonderful. 🙂
Ham-and-jam – I love that!!
Kate: I had to smile….this is the type of thing that I do all the time.
Have a Joyful Day :~D
Charlie
Sounds like we are two peas in a pod when it comes to sandwiches!
we’re alike in a lot of ways :~D