Tartines : Open-faced sandwich the French way

In France tartines are eaten for breakfast but also for snack or light meal during the day. I always enjoyed my bread, butter and jam tartines for breakfast or snack or Quatre heures or gouter.
But you may ask what is a tartine? It is a slice of bread, with a spread on it and ingredients topped on it, creating an open-faced sandwich. It can be sweet…. or savory.

Today I want to talk about savory tartine.
In fact this extremely simple dish can lead to many variations and creations.
First the bread must be a good bread, like a rustic bread or so, I use Miche Pascal Organic artisan bread from Trader Joe’s very similar to the Pain Poilane in Paris, or French baguette but you can use another type like focaccia, bagel or nuts bread. You can’t use a too soft bread otherwise everything will collapse before you bring it to your mouth.

Then the slice of bread needs a spreadable ingredient : mayonnaise, goat cheese, hummus, cream cheese, Boursin garlic and herbs cheese, ricotta, or it could be simply butter, a good way for your topping ingredients to stay – stick on bread.
The rest of the ingredients are what you like and again you have endless options: tomatoes, onions, mesclun, or cooked pepper bell, cooked ham, can then be laid on top.

The tartine on the top was made of Rustic Pain Pascal organic Demi Miche (100% whole wheat) artisan bread, goat cheese, cooked zucchini  cooked bell peppers, cooked ham, herbs, and Swiss cheese. A delish very fresh and full of flavors.
Tartines can be served cold or warm, for example you can top with gruyere Swiss cheese , cheddar mozzarella  cheese and bake under broiler to melt the cheese.

Another version is herbs-cheese scrambled eggs on a toasted bagel  (see picture and recipe below)

When years ago I discovered a restaurant in Paris that was serving amazing Tartines for lunch and dinner I was amazed  It was such a great concept. It was called Poivre et Sel (pepper and salt) and it was a new brand new restaurant all gray, white and black inside. The decoration was minimalist and the tartines were served in gorgeous gray plates. On the side you could have a salad or a soup.
Different themes tartines were proposed on the menu : Scandinavian with salmon or smoked fish, crème fraiche and herbs, the Provencal with ratatouille , the Italian with prosciutto tomatoes…it was a new world for me.
Unfortunately I not sure that these restaurants are still around. But soon after we moved to NYC and when we stopped in Paris I could not resist and stop at Poivre et sel to enjoy a light lunch and running errands or between meetings.

Herbs and Cheese Scrambled egg on a bagel

Yield 2

2 free range eggs
2 slices of toasted plain bagel
2 Tbsp Gruyere Swiss shredded cheese
1 Tsp chopped chives
1 Tbsp Creme fraiche
Goat cheese as much a s you want or like
olive oil
salt
pepper

1. Beat your eggs in a bowl add salt and pepper.
2. Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan on medium heat.
3. When hot add the eggs and mix well with a wisk.
4. Add creme fraiche, cheese and herbs. Mix well while cooking.
5. Cook until the eggs are soft but not to hard or dry.
6. Place on the bagel.
7. Top with Goat cheese and extra chives.

I asked some friends to share their favorite Tartines….I could not resist to share them with you, great ideas you can try too.
Merci my Dear PS Foodies Friends!

Kat F. Beside a Bagel and cream cheese, I love, A nice Swedish cracker with egg, sharp white cheese and tomato,and the newspaper… Sweet coffee with milk. And some sort of citrus.

Jan S. I like sourdough toast with some butter and smashed avocado, and a little parmesan grated on top, then a nice squeeze of lime and some salt & pepper.

Vic Y. Breakfast, give me a slice of Italian toast, a slather of Ricotta cheese, and a bit of preserves.

Savory, I love a Was a toast with mustard and a nice slab of cheddar or swiss.

Lori C.-S. I am a fan of using thickly sliced cucumber (sliced on the bias for a good base) and a schmear of herbed cream cheese, smoked wild salmon, capers, hint of shaved red onion. I know, no bread, but I am gf! Or, a thickly sliced pear dipped in lemon, spread with softened chevre or a thinly shaved manchego and fig jam mixed with freshly chopped rosemary or thyme (or my new favorite, orange marmalade reduced with balsamic from the trees near my house).

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