Grilled French Baguette Recipe

Preheat oven

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a small baking sheet with foil or parchment.

Prepare tomato

Slice the tomato in half horizontally. Place cut side up on the prepared sheet. Drizzle with 1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil, sprinkle 0.5 tsp minced garlic, 0.25 tsp dried oregano, 0.25 tsp salt and 0.25 tsp black pepper evenly over the cut surface.

Roast

Roast the tomato in the preheated oven for 12–18 minutes, until the surface is soft, slightly caramelized at the edges, and juices are bubbling. Remove and let cool slightly. If your menu item uses a single roasted tomato, reserve one half (or the whole roasted tomato) for assembly.

Prepare baguette

Cut the baguette in half lengthwise to create a top and bottom (or slice into 4 open-faced portions for individual servings). If the baguette is very thick, remove a small amount of crumb from the center to allow toppings to sit evenly.

Butter and mustard

In a small bowl, mix 2 tbs softened unsalted butter with 1 tsp Dijon mustard until smooth. Spread the butter-mustard mixture evenly over the cut surfaces of the baguette halves (both top and bottom if making closed sandwich, or just the tops if open-faced).

Season

Lightly sprinkle 0.5 tsp salt and 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper over the buttered surface to season the bread and toppings.

Layer ham and cheese

Arrange the 6 slices of ham evenly across the bottom half (or open-faced portions) of the baguette. Top the ham with 6 slices of Emmental cheese, distributing them so cheese covers the ham and bread edge-to-edge.

Add roasted tomato

Place the roasted tomato (use the prepared roasted half or the whole roasted tomato sliced if needed) on top of the cheese. If the roasted tomato is large, cut into two or three slices and arrange evenly so each serving gets a portion.

Grill/bake

Option A — Broiler: Preheat the oven broiler on high. Place the assembled baguette on a baking sheet and set it 4–6 inches (10–15 cm) from the broiler. Broil for 2–5 minutes, watching closely, until the cheese is melted, bubbling and slightly golden. Option B — Oven: Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C) and bake for 6–10 minutes until cheese melts and edges of bread are golden. Option C — Pan: Heat a large skillet over medium-low, close the sandwich with the top half of the baguette, place in the skillet, press lightly and cover with a lid for 3–5 minutes until cheese melts; flip briefly if desired to toast other side.

Finish and serve

Remove from heat. If serving open-faced, garnish with a light crack of fresh black pepper. Let rest 1–2 minutes, then slice into portions if needed. Serve warm so the Emmental is gooey and the roasted tomato remains slightly juicy.