Ingredients:
2 slices D'Italiano Thick Slice Original White Bread
4-5 Forelle pears, peeled & sliced
1 Tbsp butter
1 1/2 Tbsp brown sugar
Dash cinnamon
Fresh lemon
1-2 Tbsp Brandy or Cognac
1 egg
1/8 cup milk
1/8 Tsp vanilla
1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts
3 slices prosciutto
maple syrup
thinly sliced brie
For Garnish:
maple syrup
creme fraiche
strawberries
powdered sugar
Directions:
Place sliced prosciutto on baking sheet, drizzle very lightly with maple syrup, place in oven on high broil, until prosciutto is crispy - depends on oven but usually 5 minutes or less. Set aside.
Melt butter in pan on medium heat, add sliced pears, brown sugar and dash of cinnamon and a squeeze of fresh lemon. Cook until butter and sugar has melted into a syrup and well coated pears. Add cognac or brandy, turn up heat and cook until bubbly. Set pears aside.
Whisk together eggs, milk and vanilla. Spread walnuts out in a small plate, coat a slice of bread (on both sides) in egg mixture and press down one side into walnuts to create a crust. Transfer (walnut side down) into a lightly buttered pan on medium heat. Do the same with second slice of bread but omit walnut coating.
Cook as you would french toast, until nice and golden brown on all sides.
Remove from pan and assemble in this order: bread slice without walnuts, prosciutto, pears and their syrup, brie and the walnut crusted bread slice, walnuts on the outside.
Put back into hot pan walnut side up, handle with care or it will fall apart. Press down firmly with a spatula and cook for a few minutes longer, remove when you see that the brie has begun to melt a little.
Serve one half or share ( very rich!!) on a plate dusted with powdered sugar, drizzle with maple syrup and top off with a dollop of creme fraiche and fresh strawberries ( and any left over pears ).