Pane dorato (Golden fried bread)

Preparation time: 10 minutes.
Cooking time: 5 minutes

INGREDIENTS:
6 slices of bread half a centimetre thick
250ml milk
2 eggs, beaten
Exta-virgine oil
Salt.
Optional:100g Gruyère cheese.

METHOD:
Half fill a heavy iron frying pan with oil. Cut the crusts off the bread and soak briefly in the milk. Dip both sides of each slice of bread into the beaten eggs. Heat the oil and plunge the slices into the pan one by one, frying each side for ten minutes until golden brown. Remove from the pan and leave to drain on kitchen paper. Sprinkle with salt and serve hot.

Sandwich bread is best for the recipe, as the result is lighter. It is even tastier if very finely cut slices of Gruyèr cheese are laid on top of the fresly fried bread so that they gently melt into it. Golden fried bread can also be used to great effect in soups. Cut the slices into cubes and place in the soup dishes before serving clear beef broth a table.

A historic cookery book compiled by Domenico Romoli contains a recipe for Pan dorato con burrito (butter) but, in keeping eith Renaissance and medioeval tastes, the croutons were flavoured with sugar and cinnamon.