This Proustian ideal of a ham sandwich can be a treat for one or enhance a buffet

Jambon beurre, meaning ham-butter, or just ham on buttered baguette, might be the quintessential French sandwich. It’s a staple for a picnic or a quick lunch with a tot of Beaujolais. And it sounds easy enough.

But, as Pierre-Antoine Raberin recalled, it prompted chef Alain Ducasse to note that “the simpler things can be most difficult.”

Raberin, who owns L’Ami Pierre, a cafe in midtown Manhattan, with chef Eric Ripert, seconded that assessment, pointing out that the ideal jambon beurre — say, what you might find at countless cafes in Paris or what his kitchen will prepare for you — isn’t easy to replicate at home.

“Freshness and temperature are the keys,” he said. At the cafe, which considers that particular sandwich its signature, baguettes come out of the oven every hour or so. The butter it uses is notably rich — about 85% butterfat (the supermarket standard is 80%) — and kept soft and spreadable.

Raberin also said both sides of the baguette are buttered. Some purveyors butter only one side.

As for the ham, it “should not be cold,” Raberin said, “and it’s important to be generous with it.” L’Ami Pierre uses lightly smoked, thinly sliced cooked ham and piles about 4 ounces on each sandwich.

Of course, the home sandwich-maker could go to a bakery for a fresh baguette and warm it in the oven. And many markets sell high butterfat butter. But the ham is the challenge: Everyday boneless deli ham will not do since such products often contain water or brine.

What the French call jambon de Paris, cooked ham, preferably on the bone and freshly sliced, is the goal. Italian prosciutto cotto is a good substitute.

Like most sandwiches, this one is designed as a treat for one, but, cut into smaller sections and served on a platter, it can enhance a buffet, even at holiday time.

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Jambon Beurre

Total time: 20 minutes

Serving: 1

INGREDIENTS

• 1 (10-inch) section fresh baguette
• 1½ tablespoons unsalted butter (preferably 85% butterfat), softened
• 4 ounces thinly sliced cooked ham, preferably jambon de Paris or prosciutto cotto, at room temperature

STEPS

1. Heat oven to 275 degrees. Place baguette in oven and bake 10 minutes, just until the outside crisps. Remove from oven, split in half horizontally and allow to cool to room temperature.
2. When bread has cooled, spread butter on both sides. Pile on the ham. Close the sandwich, cut in half on an angle and serve.