Baked Pancarré Cake

The baked pancarré cake is a simple and versatile preparation that you can enrich in various ways according to your tastes. Here is a basic version to which you can make variations as you like.

Ingredients

• 8 slices of pancarré (better if without crust)
• 150-200g cooked ham (or raw ham if you prefer)
• 150g sliced cheese (fontina, emmental, mozzarella or any other cheese that melts well)
• 3 eggs
• 400 ml milk
• Salt and pepper
• Nutmeg (optional)
• Butter or oil to grease the baking dish
• Breadcrumbs to dust the baking dish

Preparation

1. Take a baking dish and grease it with a little butter or oil, then dust it with breadcrumbs to prevent the cake from sticking during baking.
2. In a bowl, beat the eggs with a pinch of salt, pepper and, if you like, a touch of nutmeg. Add the milk and mix everything together.
3. Now start assembling the cake: place a layer of pancarré slices on the bottom of the dish, then arrange the ham and cheese slices on top.
4. Pour some of the egg and milk mixture over the first layers, just enough to soak them slightly.
5. Continue with a second layer of pancarré, ham, cheese and the milk and egg mixture.
6. Repeat the process until all ingredients are used up, finishing with a layer of pancarré.
7. Pour the remaining egg and milk mixture over the last layer and let it seep into the layers below.
8. Preheat the oven to 180 °C and bake the cake for about 30-40 minutes or until the surface is golden and crispy.
9. Let the baked pancarré cake rest for a few minutes before slicing and serving.

You can customize this cake by adding vegetables such as spinach or zucchini, or make it more flavorful with tomato sauce or a sprinkle of grated Parmesan on the last layer before baking.

Trivia

The baked pancarré cake is a great idea for using up leftover or slightly stale pancarré. Very often, recipes that make use of leftovers become the most beloved dishes in families, precisely because of their ability to combine flavor and practicality.