Name: Melting Epoisses on toast
Prep time: 19 min
Cook time: 1 h 7 min
Total time: 1 h 26 min
Yield: 4 toppeds toast
Ingredients: 4 slices bread; 1 tablespoon butter; 2 tablespoons dry white wine; 200 g potatoes; 2 tablespoons oil; 4 slices smoked ham; 100 g Époisses

Step by step recipe:

10 min.
Cut 4 slices bread, but not too thick.

Butter the slices lightly and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons dry white wine.
40 min.
Boil 200 g potatoes and when cooked, peel and slice.
8 min.
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a frying pan on medium heat.

When the oil is really hot, fry the potato slices on both sides.

Set aside.
4 min.
Use the same pan to fry 4 slices smoked ham for just a few seconds on each side.

Preheat the oven to 210°C (420°F).
3 min.
Distribute the ham over the slices of bread.
3 min.
Arrange the sliced potatoes on top.
3 min.
And finish with the cheese.

Put in the oven for about 15 minutes.
15 min.
Take out of the oven as soon as the cheese has fully melted and is lightly browned on the top.

Serve immediately, with a good green salad if possible.

Remarks:

You can replace the Espoisse with another kind of cheese. I prefer one that is both soft and well-flavoured (Saint Nectaire, Saint Marcellin, Mont d'Or...) but it's just as good with Comté or Cheddar.

And to drink?

Legend has it that Espoisse was Napoleon's favourite cheese, and he apparently liked to wash it down with a Gevrey-Chambertin. So, open a bottle of this and you'll dine like an emperor.