thefoodlessprocessed

Käseschnitten are a traditional Swiss bread and cheese dish. They are contribution of home cooks to Swiss cuisine, but they also appear on restaurant menus. There are many, many variations on this simple bread and cheese theme. This version combines some of the flavours of Swiss fondue in the toasts.

The options for less processed ingredients are: Gruyère AOP, Butter, and Cream.

Any sturdy bread will be good for making these toasts. Some suggestions from thefoodlessprocessed site are: Beer Bread, Maslin Bread, Beer, Apple and Rosemary Bread, and Pain jurassien.

Equipment

• a Digital Scale
• a Large Bowl
• a Grater with small holes
• a Rimmed Baking Tray lined with Parchment
• a Large Sauté Pan: for example, an enameled cast iron sauteuse with a black baked-on porcelain enamel interior. Pans with a white enameled interior will not brown as well.

Ingredients

The listed amounts will make four generous toasts.

• 4 Slices of any sturdy bread: Some suggestions from thefoodlessprocessed site are: Beer Bread, Maslin Bread, Beer, Apple and Rosemary Bread, and Pain jurassien.
• European-Style Unsalted Butter, softened, for buttering the bread slices
• 1 small Clove of Garlic, minced
• 250 g of Gruyère AOP, finely grated–around 2 cups or a bit more
• 1 Egg, beaten
• 60 – 80 ml (1/4 – 1/3 cup) of Dry White Wine, plus a bit more to pour over the toasted bread slices
• 30 – 50 ml (1/8 – 1/4 cup) of Organic Heavy Cream
• Freshly ground Black Pepper

Making the Toasts

Gas or Convection Oven:  thefoodlessprocessed uses a gas oven. The conversions from Fahrenheit to Celsius do not attempt to adjust for differences between baking in a gas or convection oven. I have no experience using a convection oven and leave adjustments to the better judgement of you who do have.

• Preheat the oven to 450 F/230 C.
• Butter the bread slices on both sides and toast them lightly on both sides in the sauté pan.
• Transfer them to the parchment-lined baking tray. Pour 1 tablespoon of white wine over each slice.
• In the bowl, combine the grated cheese, the beaten egg and the minced garlic.
• Add 60 ml (1/4 cup) of the wine and 30 ml (1/8 cup) of the cream.
• Add as much more of the wine and cream as the cheese mixture will absorb without separating.
• Divide the mixture among the toasts and grate black pepper over them.
• Bake them for about 12 minutes on the middle rack, or until they are puffed and golden.