The Perfect Ham, Egg and Cheese Sandwich

The perfect ham, egg and cheese sandwich is amazing and totally satisfying. Based on a grilled cheese sandwich, it isn't difficult to add additional ingredients after understanding the basics. Preferring sour dough and extra sharp cheddar, any kind of cheese or bread is fine.

Ingredients:
2 Slices of Sour Dough Bread
Softened Butter
Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese
Precooked Slices of Ham
1 Egg

Heat a small, non-stick pan on medium-low. While the pan is warming up, place a pat of butter in the pan and let it melt down. Take the two slices of bread and spread the butter on the outside. The butter goes on the side that is placed onto the pan. Butter on the bread prevents any sticking, while eliminating a lot of the butter. Over buttering the bread makes it spongy and greasy. This way the bread is light and toasty.

Cut the cheese into several thin slices. You want enough to cover both slices of bread. Lastly take a slice or more of the ham and cut it to fit inside the bread. Ham should have about an inch on all sides of bread. Place the cheese and ham on the non-butter side of the bread. Cheese acts as the glue keeping both sides of the bread together.

Now, after the butter is melted and the pan is relatively hot, crack the egg into the pan and cover with the lid. The steam helps cook the egg on both sides. When there is a filmy white layer on top of the yolk take a spatula and move the egg onto the ham. Cover the egg with the rest of the cheese and place the other slice of bread, butter side on top.

Set the sandwich in the pan. The egg should be fairly cooked when placed in the sandwich, because though the cheese melts, yet heat between the slices of bread is not hot enough to cook an egg. You may also want to slightly cook the ham while the egg is cooking.

If you are worried about the cheese melting, place a lid over the top. Heat is trapped inside, so the sandwich is cooked from both sides. However, it is difficult keeping an eye on the sandwich. At times the cheese wasn't cooked well enough, so when flipped it landed oddly. It isn't difficult to move everything back into position.

It takes about three to five minutes to brown one side of the sandwich. Carefully flip the sandwich over to let the other side brown. When the other side is brown, turn off the stove and place it on a plate. Let it cool on the plate for a couple of minutes before cutting in halves. The yolk gently oozes out from the egg.

A perfect balance of flavors, ham adds just the right amount of salt. A slice of tomato also achieves a similar affect. This is one of the best meals. Whether creamy with American cheese and white bread, or healthier wheat bread and feta cheese it is always strangely delightful. In addition, leave out the egg and ham to make a sensational grilled cheese sandwich.

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