Cutting meat out completely is one of those goals that sounds great in theory and falls apart around week two. What actually works, more often than not, is cooking with less of it and making sure every bite still counts — which is the whole idea behind this sandwich.

The French have a name for the original: Croque Monsieur, a grilled ham and cheese sandwich where “croque” literally means “crispy” — a nod to the sound the bread makes when you bite into it. This is a loose, Italian-leaning riff on that idea, swapping the ham for something with more character — thin, salty prosciutto — and adding fresh tomato for a little juiciness against all that crisped bread and melted cheese. Call it the Croccante Signore. The Crispy Mister, if you want the literal translation. It earns the name.

What You’ll Need

• 8 (1/2-inch) slices of good bakery bread — look for something with a soft, slightly holey texture rather than a hard crust; it crisps up far better in the pan.
• 4 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto.
• 4 ounces of a good melting cheese — Gruyère and Caciocavallo both work well, or use whatever soft, meltable cheese you already love — sliced or grated.
• 8 thick slices of fresh tomato.
• 4 teaspoons good mustard, Dijon or similar.
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened, for the outside.

How to Put It Together

1. Heat the pan

Get a cast-iron skillet or another heavy pan going over medium-high heat for about 3 minutes, until it’s properly hot. A Panini grill works just as well if that’s what you’ve got on hand.

2. Assemble the sandwiches

While the pan heats up, build the sandwiches. Spread 1 teaspoon of mustard over a slice of bread, then layer on a quarter of the prosciutto, 2 slices of tomato, and a quarter of the cheese. Top it with a second slice of bread. Repeat this four times until all your sandwiches are assembled.

3. Butter the outside

Spread a thin, even layer of softened butter across the outside faces of each sandwich — the same way you’d butter a classic grilled cheese, no more, no less.

4. Toast to perfection

Set the sandwiches in the hot pan and leave them undisturbed for about 3 minutes, until the bread turns a deep golden brown and the cheese starts to soften and melt. Flip carefully and let the second side crisp the same way.

5. Rest and serve

Here’s the part worth being patient for: let the sandwiches rest for 5 minutes once they’re out of the pan. Cut into one too soon and all that molten cheese runs straight out onto the cutting board instead of staying where it belongs. Once they’ve rested, slice in half and serve warm.