Ingredients
1 egg
1 3/4 c. plus 2 tbsp. water
1 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
8 slices egg bread (challah works well), sliced 1/2" thick
8 thin slices ham
8 thin slices turkey
8 slices Swiss cheese
3 c. canola oil
Powdered sugar
Blackberry preserves
Preparation
Step 1 Make Batter: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together egg and water. Add flour, salt, and baking powder and whisk thoroughly, scraping the side of the bowl. Continue to whisk until smooth, 2 minutes. Set aside.Step 2Make Sandwich: Arrange 4 slices of bread on a large cutting board. Place 2 ham slices, 2 turkey slices, and 2 cheese slices on each bread slice, covering the bread evenly. Top each stack with a remaining slice of bread. Cut each sandwich in half diagonally.Step 3Dredge Sandwich: In a deep-sided medium saucepan, carefully heat oil between 365°F and 375°F. Do not let oil reach a higher temperature; if oil starts to smoke, lower the heat. Dip each sandwich half into the batter, allowing excess to drip off, and very carefully place it into the oil. Repeat with the second sandwich half.Step 4Fry Sandwich: Cook until golden brown on each side, 5 minutes per side. Repeat with remaining sandwiches, cooking them one at a time and allowing the oil to reach the desired temperature between each batch.Step 5Serve: Sprinkle sandwiches with powdered sugar and serve with blackberry preserves on the side.
