French toast is an excellent way to use up some old stale bread; in fact, it works better if your bread is a little dry and chewy. The dryness of the bread absorbs the milk and egg mixture without falling apart and getting too soggy. Using a whole grain bread is another way to help your French toast keep its shape. The fiber and protein in the whole grain bread will prevent the liquid from dissolving your slice, whereas white bread will dissolve and quickly get mushy. Try a little experiment at home and compare a slice of white bread against whole grain when making French toast. This is a good visual to show how whole grain bread sits in your stomach longer, keeping you fuller and feeling satisfied longer.
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups 2% milk
- 3 eggs
- 1/2 cups gruyere or parmesan, freshly grated, divided
- 2 garlic cloves, grated with microplane or minced extremely fine
- 1/4 tsp fresh cracked pepper
- Pinch red pepper flakes
- Few shakes of hot sauce
- 6-8 slices of rustic bread
- Grape tomatoes, halved
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- Fresh basil, sliced thin
- Olive oil
Set the oven to the warming setting, or preheat to 200 degrees and then turn off. You can put them in the oven to keep your toasts warm as you finish them. In a bowl, whisk together milk, eggs, 1/4 cup cheese, garlic, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes and hot sauce. Then move the mixture to a wide shallow dish so it’s easier to soak the bread. Slice bread about 3/4- to 1-inch thick.
In a large skillet over medium heat, with 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil.
Depending on the size of your skillet, dip 2-3 pieces of bread in the egg and milk mix to completely coated. Cook the soaked bread until each side is golden brown. Move finished pieces to a plate kept in your warm oven while you cook the rest, adding more oil as necessary.
Once all the toast is finished and kept warm in the oven, add tomatoes and garlic, and a bit more oil if needed to the skillet, and cook until tomatoes softened and garlic is fragrant. Cook until tomatoes still hold their shape a bit, but are slightly browned on the cut side.
Plate the French toast, and spoon the tomatoes over top. Add the fresh basil and sprinkle more cheese over the toasts and serve. Makes 3 to 4 servings.
Nutrition facts:
Serving size: 2 pieces
Calories: 258; Fat: 11.2g; Carbs: 29.4g; Fiber: 1.2g; Protein: 9.6g; Sodium: 307mg
Recipe adapted from : Gruyere-crusted Savory French Toast with Tomatoes – Spring Hill Bakery
