Although in French Ramequin typically describes what I would call Chäschüechli, in many of my Swiss German cookbooks and online (see Swissmilk, Annemarie Wildeisen) it’s the word for a cheese and bread bake (Auflauf/gratin).

This version is about as simple as it gets, but feel free to add ham or tomatoes, or even dip your bread in white wine before assembly.

Inspiration comes from one of my favourite cookbooks, Kulinarische Streifzüge durch die Schweiz (loosely translated to "a culinary ramble through Switzerland") a great guide to Swiss cuisine published in the early 1980s.

300 g leftover bread

mustard

170 g cheese, sliced

500 ml milk

2 eggs

nutmeg, salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 200 C / 400 F / gas mark 6.

Grease an oven-proof dish.

Spread each slice of bread with mustard, then arrange alternately with the cheese into the oven-proof dish.

In a measuring cup, whisk together the milk, eggs and spices. Pour over the bread.

Bake for about 20 minutes or until the cheese has melted and is starting to brown on top.

• Any hard cheese will do—Appenzeller, Gruyere, Vacherin Fribourgeois, even cheddar. I used a random assortment I had in my cheese box.

• I used Ruchbrot I had leftover from a fondue, but Zopf would be particularly decadent.

• Serve with applesauce or a green salad.