Baked Western Sandwich with Oven Hash Browns

 

One place we always liked eating at back home were the small mom and pop diners! You always knew you were going to get a decent and tasty meal, as well as good value for your money.  My ex would always get a club sandwich with chips, and I would either get a BLT or a Western Sandwich.  Or we would both get a hot turkey sandwich, depending on our mood.  These were our favourites!

  

I had some sliced ham left in the refrigerator today that needed using up. I really didn't want to waste it, and I go to thinking about how tasty those Western Sandwiches always were.   I had seen photos online of people making huge tray bake Western Sandwiches.  You pour all of the egg filling into a large oven tray and bake it cutting the baked omelet to size when done.

 

I happen to have a very small oven tray, its only 6 by 8 inches in size.  Perfect for me to make a two person sized oven Baked Western Sandwich!   While I was at it, I thought why not bake some hashbrowns as well. Why not make a meal of it!

 

I chopped up some red skinned potatoes and onions, and tossed them together with a bit of oil and seasoning and popped them into a hot oven while I started making the sandwiches.

 

For those of you who don't know, a Western Sandwich is a kind of omelet sandwich, with eggs, cheese, peppers, onions and diced ham, sandwiched between hot slices of buttered toast.  They are a standard Diner sandwich that you might find in North America and very popular.

 

I did not have any fresh peppers, but I do keep sliced mixed peppers in the freezer.  They come in very handy for things like this. If you have fresh ones so much the better and lucky you!

  

I cooked these along with some onion and the chopped ham in a bit of butter in a small skillet.  I then spread this mixture out into my buttered teensie baking tray.

 

I beat the eggs together with some milk and poured them over top, seasoning them with a bit of salt and pepper.

 

I could have grated cheese over top.  We have a really decent strong aged cheddar we bought at Costco.  Its what you might call artisanal. It has crunchy crystals in it from perfect aging and is nice and crumbly.

 

I thought to myself . . .  how much nicer would it be if I just crumbled some of the cheese over top and then you would have little pockets of delicious cheese througout.

 

And so that's what I did with most delicious results.  I took the potatoes out of the oven, gave them a stir, popped them back in, turned the oven temperature down a bit and then popped the eggs in to bake along side the potatoes.

  

10 to 15 minutes later they were perfectly cooked and ready to pop into the middle of two hot buttered slices of white bread.  The potatoes were lovely and crisp edged and golden brown.  This made the perfect supper for us on a sunny day when I really didn't feel like going to too much trouble.

Baked Western Sandwich with Oven Hash Browns

Yield: 2

Author: Marie Rayner

The classic diner sandwich, downsized to feed only two and served with delicious oven bakd hash browns.

Ingredients:

For the hashbrowns:

• 2 medium potatoes, wash, unpeeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 3/4 small onion, chopped coarsely
• 1/2 TBS oil
• salt and black pepper to taste

For the sandwiches:

• 1 TBS butter
• 1 quarter of an onion, chopped
• 4 TBS chopped mixed sweet bell peppers (I used frozen)
• 3 slices of deli ham chopped
• 3 large free range eggs, beaten
• 2 TBS milk
• salt and black pepper to taste
• 4 TBS crumbled strong cheddar cheese
• 4 thick slices white bread toasted and butterd.

Instructions:

How to cook Baked Western Sandwich with Oven Hash Browns

1. Preheat the oven to 220*C/425*F/ gas mark 7.  Line a small baking tray with foil.  Toss the potatoes together in a bowl with the oil, onions and seasoning.  Spread out on the baking sheet. Pop it into the oven.  Roast for about 10 minutes.
2. While the potatoes are roasting make the filling for the sandwiches.  Melt the butter in a small skillet.  Add the peppers, onions and ham.  Cook and stir until the onions and peppers have softened. 
3. Have ready a small baking tray or casserole dish.  Mine is about 6 inches by 8 inches in size  Spray it with low fat non-stick baking spray.  Spread the pepper mixure evenly on the bottom of the tray.  Beat the eggs and milk together.  Pour over the pepper mixture in the tray.  Season lighly with salt and pepper.  Sprinkle the crumbled chedder over top.
4. Remove the potatoes from the oven and give them a stir.  Reduce the oven temperature to 190*C/375*F/ gas mark 5.  Return the potatoes to the oven and place the egg tray in the oven.
5. Bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes until the hashbrowns are golden brown and the eggs have set.
6. Remove from the oven.  Cut the omelet in half crosswise through the centre.  Sandwich each half between two slices of white buttered toast and then cut in half on the diagonal.  Serve hot with the oven hashbrowns .

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If you are wanting to feed more people just double or triple the ingredients and  bake in a larger lipped baking tray. For four people I would use half a dozen eggs, and a 9 by 13 inch baking tray.  For the potatoes double up on everything and bake on another large baking sheet.   Same temperatures, same time pretty much, although check with the eggs, they might take a tad bit longer. 

 Enjoy!