Carly is a Contributing Writer at Honest Cooking. Though the…
Carly DeFilippo knows exactly what do do with all that “lost bread”. Meet Pain Perdu.
By Carly DeFilippo
Pain Perdu (literally “lost bread”) is the original version of “French toast”, in which stale bread becomes a canvas for various leftovers. I prefer it savory and pan-fried with tangy, soft cheese and herbs.
- stale bread, (ideally sourdough)
- 2 eggs
- a splash of milk
- herbs (I prefer sage or thyme)
- ¼ cup tangy, soft cheese (sheep or goat’s cheese is best)
- salt/pepper
- butter
- Cut stale bread into ½ - 1 inch slices.
- Crack eggs into a bowl, add a splash of milk, cheese, salt & pepper to taste.
- Heat butter in a skillet until it turns nutty-brown.
- While butter is heating, beat egg/cheese mixture until relatively smooth.
- Dip bread slices into egg wash, let soak for a few seconds on each side.
- Once pan is hot and butter nutty-brown, start adding egg-washed slices of bread to the pan. (If you have extra egg-wash, you can just pour it into the pan with the bread. As you move the bread around/flip it, it will absorb more of the egg).
- Rip or sprinkle herbs over the bread.
- Flip toast and press down with spatula, ensuring that it browns on both sides. (If your bread is sliced thick, you can cover your pan, to ensure the egg cooks through properly).
- Once the bread is golden-brown on each side, serve to your eager guests (or yourself!).
Carly is a Contributing Writer at Honest Cooking. Though the first line of her college application essay was "I love tunafish," it wasn't until she pursued graduate studies in Paris that she ever considered a future in food. Based in Manhattan, Carly is a freelance writer and the co-founder of Cognoscenti Creative, a boutique branding agency dedicated to establishing artisans as influencers.