Nancy  Silverton

Ingredient: Baguette

About

Nancy  Silverton is the co-owner of the Mozza Restaurant Group which consists of four locations in California: Michelin-starred Osteria Mozza, Pizzeria Mozza, Mozza2Go, and chi SPACCA in Los Angeles, Osteria Mozza DC in Georgetown and Osteria Mozza Lanai in Hawaii. Her international restaurant locations include Los Cabos, London, Singapore, and Riyadh.

In 2014, she received the highest honor given by the James Beard Foundation for “Outstanding Chef.” That same year, she was also listed as one of the Most Innovative Women in Food & Drink by both Fortune and Food and Wine magazines. In 2017, Nancy was profiled in an episode of Netflix’s award-winning docuseries Chef’s Table. Nancy has authored eleven cookbooks; her most recent, entitled The Cookie That Changed My Life, was included in the New York Time’s Bestseller List.

French Baguette with Butter & Prosciutto

Serves 4

For the Scallion Oil
- 1 bunch scallions, green parts only, coarsely chopped (about 1/3 cup)
- 1/3 cup coarsely chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
For the sandwich
- 1 ½ -2 Baguettes, cut into 4 seven inch pieces
- 1 – 1 ½ sticks (4-6 ounces) unsalted butter, slightly softened but not greasy
- 6 ounces prosciutto di Parma, thinly sliced, about 24 slices
If I’m ever stranded on a desert island with only three ingredients, I pray that they are prosciutto, butter and baguette. Minimalist in appearance, yet concetrated in flavor, this sleek sandwich is surprisingly satisfying.

Think of it as a ham-and-sort-of-cheese sandwich. Since butter takes the place of cheese, choose your butter with discretion. Imported butters or domestic farmhouse-style butters are richer and sweeter and balance the saltiness of the ham. For the ham, I prefer either imported prosciutto di parma, prosciutto di San Daniele, from Italy or Serrano ham from Spain. Use a crisp, French style baguette (not a sourdough). If the crust of the bread has lost its crispiness, toast the baguette in a hot oven for a few minutes, and cool it completey before slicing and smearing it with butter.

To make the scallion oil: In a food processor fitted with a metal blade, or with a mortar and pestle, process or pulverize the scallions and parsley until finely chopped. Add the olive oil and process or pulverize another few seconds to combine.

Slice through the center of each piece of baguette horizontally.

To assemble the sandwiches, smear 2-3 tablespoons of butter of the bottom half of each baguette piece. Spoon 1-2 tablespoons of the scallion oil over the butter and place about 6 slices of rumbled prosciutto on top. Put the top half of the baguette over the ham, and squeeze the sandwich together with your fingers to compress it before taking the first bite.

For the Scallion Oil

1 bunch scallions, green parts only, coarsely chopped (about 1/3 cup)
1/3 cup coarsely chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

For the sandwich

1 ½ -2 Baguettes, cut into 4 seven inch pieces
1 – 1 ½ sticks (4-6 ounces) unsalted butter, slightly softened but not greasy
6 ounces prosciutto di Parma, thinly sliced, about 24 slices

If I’m ever stranded on a desert island with only three ingredients, I pray that they are prosciutto, butter and baguette. Minimalist in appearance, yet concetrated in flavor, this sleek sandwich is surprisingly satisfying.

Think of it as a ham-and-sort-of-cheese sandwich. Since butter takes the place of cheese, choose your butter with discretion. Imported butters or domestic farmhouse-style butters are richer and sweeter and balance the saltiness of the ham. For the ham, I prefer either imported prosciutto di parma, prosciutto di San Daniele, from Italy or Serrano ham from Spain. Use a crisp, French style baguette (not a sourdough). If the crust of the bread has lost its crispiness, toast the baguette in a hot oven for a few minutes, and cool it completey before slicing and smearing it with butter.

To make the scallion oil: In a food processor fitted with a metal blade, or with a mortar and pestle, process or pulverize the scallions and parsley until finely chopped. Add the olive oil and process or pulverize another few seconds to combine.

Slice through the center of each piece of baguette horizontally.

To assemble the sandwiches, smear 2-3 tablespoons of butter of the bottom half of each baguette piece. Spoon 1-2 tablespoons of the scallion oil over the butter and place about 6 slices of rumbled prosciutto on top. Put the top half of the baguette over the ham, and squeeze the sandwich together with your fingers to compress it before taking the first bite.

Mythology

The traditional baguette is so vital to French culture that it’s protected by law. Here in the US, we’ve come to celebrate what this loaf symbolizes: the perfect union of science and art. The flour used in baguettes is protein-rich and therefore elastic, making it deliciously chewy. However, this dough dries and becomes stale quickly, which is why the French buy a baguette on the daily. Life, like good bread, is fleeting. Seize the day, savor warmth, and make a practice of enjoying the small things. The crust-crumb ratio of a perfectly baked baguette promotes balance.

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