After the holiday magic of a spiral sliced ham has ceased to be magical, and you’re left with ham, ham, and more ham, I have a simple solution. Go to the store, buy some Flatout flatbread and make my favorite ham sandwich below. This one pulls out all the stops on deliciousness, and reminds you that ham is merely the cousin of bacon, one step removed.

I made this one up when I had a surplus of homemade apple butter in my pantry that wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon, unless it was eaten. I also had half a spiral sliced ham from Easter dinner, and I didn’t have six hours to make ham and beans for lunch. There was a chunk of brie in the cheese drawer, and I thought: why not add a slice? And the curly endive that my better half always avoids in the box of salad greens got thrown in the flatbread too; I was willing to fall on that blade, otherwise I’d just be eating a boring ham and cheese sandwich. I needed some greens. And lastly, a smear of the apple butter, on a whim.

Heated on the panini press until the ham is warm and the brie is melted, this flatbread will taste very, very special, almost like you ordered it in some cute little French cafe, the kind your friends always encourage you to open, especially when you make this for them. And they will, when they bite into this flatbread creation. To which you will respond, “Oh, but then you’d have to pay for it,” and the room will grow quiet with the sounds of contented, grateful chewing. Ham, brie, apple butter, frisée, oh my. The only thing better would be a glass of chilled riesling nearby.

Few things are as satisfying as this flatbread sandwich. Simple ingredients, simply prepared and served on warm toasted flatbread can be seen, once again, as something magical.

Amy at Flatout