Friday, March 14, 2008

nutella sandwich


I loved looking in people's pantry's when I was a kid. Some people have a medicine cabinet fetish, and I have my pantries. Every house had a different array of ingredients indicating what kind of food was consumed in their home on a daily basis. Some people were obviously subsisting on Hamburger Helper and Crystal Pepsi, while at my house the shelves were bursting with every ingredient under the sun. We always had pretty much everything you needed to make anything at any time. Even in our more modest times, you were never want for anything to eat at our house--if you wanted cereal you had three types to choose from, and if you wanted to make stew you had meat in the freezer, veggies in the fridge, and several types of broth in the pantry. Sleepovers at my place were always a blast, filled with cookies and tacos and mac and cheese, and everything else you want to eat when you're 10.

As time has passed I've come to realize that I now stock my kitchen the same way my mom always did, making sure that I'm capable of making multiple dishes at a moments notice. One of the many random ingredients that can still always be found in my pantry is nutella. This delicious chocolate and hazelnut spread is a common treat for kids in countries around the world, and I still remember coming home from school starving and in search of a yummy snack before doing my homework. It always hit the spot, even if it's just slathered on a piece of toast before running out the door (like it is these days). The other day I came home from work exhausted and hungry. I'd completely forgotten to leave out something for dinner but felt like I had to eat something immediately. After tearing through a salad and some chips I decided that what I really wanted was breakfast for dinner. So, I took a few pieces of bread, made two small nutella sandwiches and dipped them in egg and milk. After browning them in a pan with butter (French toast style) and dusting them with sugar I sat down and let the gooey filling spill out with every bite. It was super satisfying and made me feel like a kid again. Here's how to have a flashback of your own:





Nutella French Toast Sandwich

4 slices of bread
4 Tbsp nutella
2 eggs, beaten
2 Tbsp Milk
3 Tbsp butter
sugar (for garnish)

1. Spread nutella evenly on two slices of bread, leaving a half inch border blank around each slice and top with the remaining two slices.

2.
Combine eggs and milk in a large bowl. Dip sandwiches in egg mixture, making sure to coat both sides.

3. Melt butter in a skillet on medium-low heat. Add sandwiches and cook on both sides until browned. Enjoy!

-Laura

1 comment:

Cristina Gonzalez said...

I love Nutella. Seriously.

When I was growing up, my sisters and I would buy individual packs of it (from the corner candy store) and snack on it the entire walk home. Deep, smooth and chocolate-y, it was and still is the perfect sophisticated snack.

Apart from eating it straight from the jar or in this satisfying recipe, Nutella is also good for mole sauces. Add some chicken broth, chipotle chiles, onion and garlic and some spices (I like parsley, anise and a touch of cinnamon) and you have a savory dish to add to the Nutella file.