Go Back
sandwich plated, cut in half, served with dipping sauce

Crispy Ham And Cheese Melts Recipe

Your kids and your wallet will love these spruced-up ham and cheese sandwiches!
Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 20 mins
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 4 sandwiches

Equipment

  • 2 half sheet pans
  • 2 small bowls (for egg mixture and bread crumb mixture)
  • large spatula
  • whisk
  • microwave-safe bowl

Ingredients
  

  • 8 slices Italian bread
  • 8 oz. shredded provolone cheese (or 8 slices)
  • 16 slices deli ham
  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 3 large eggs
  • 2 tbsp. milk
  • 1 cup Italian-style bread crumbs
  • 2 tbsp. shredded Parmesan cheese
  • 8 oz. marinara or pizza sauce

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your oven to 450 degrees and position your oven racks to the center of the oven.
  • Gather your ingredients and prepare them so you can move swiftly. This is good advice when preparing any recipe; it’s referred to as “Mise En Place,” which translates to “everything in its place.” When you do this, your recipe will come together quickly and cooking times won’t be affected by last minute chopping or shredding.
  • Place the butter on one of your half sheet pans and place it in the oven to melt. Your oven temperature is high so this won’t take long, probably just a minute or two, but keep your eye on it so it doesn’t burn or turn brown. The butter will melt and become a little foamy. Remove the pan and tilt it to evenly distribute the butter across the pan, adding more if needed and placing back in the oven to melt. Once your butter is melted and your pan is evenly and thinly coated, place the pan aside.
  • Lay four pieces of bread on the second sheet pan. This pan is going to be your working pan. Using half the cheese, top each slice evenly.
  • Next layer the ham, using four slices per piece of bread, laying the ham across the bread in four small piles.
  • Top the ham with the remaining cheese, again distributing it evenly across the ham.
  • Place the remaining four slices of bread on top of each stack to complete your sandwiches. Set this pan aside.
  • Prepare your egg mixture by whisking the eggs and milk together in a bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese. Make sure your bowls are large enough that your sandwiches will lay flat in them.
  • Place the egg mixture, bread crumb mixture, the working pan with the sandwiches on it, and the sheet pan with the melted butter on it within close proximity of each other to make the next steps easier and efficient.
  • Using two hands, pick up one sandwich and lay it in the egg mixture, and move it around slightly to make sure that the bottom side is well coated. Carefully and quickly flip the sandwich over and do the same thing to the other side.
  • Once both sides have been coated in the egg mixture, hold the sandwich above the bowl and allow any extra egg to drip off before placing the sandwich into the bread crumb mixture. If you are using shredded cheese and a little falls out, it’s okay, but flipping the sandwich quickly and swiftly is helpful.
  • Repeat this step in the bread crumb mixture, coating both sides. If a few shreds of cheese get on the outside of the sandwich, mixed with the breadcrumbs, that’s a bonus!
  • Place the sandwich on the buttered sheet pan and repeat the process with the three remaining sandwiches.
  • Place the buttered pan with the four sandwiches on it in the oven for eight to ten minutes, depending on your preference of crispiness. (I recommend checking them at eight minutes).
  • Gently flip your sandwiches over and cook for an additional eight minutes on the other side.
  • When your sandwiches are finished baking, remove them from the oven and allow them to rest while you divide even portions of the marinara sauce for dipping.
Keyword budget, crispy, melts, sandwiches