Casse-croûte, literally “the breaking of the crust,” refers to a worker’s lunch or a snack in which bread is the main ingredient. Typically a casse-croûte includes bread, cheese, and possibly ham. This dish is all about the bread and cheese. A hollowed-out walnut loaf is filled with cheese and baked until it’s nice and melty. The reserved bread is toasted for dipping into the cheese.

The Camembert is a nod to my family’s roots in Normandy—the birthplace of the fragrant cheese—and it also pairs well with the walnuts in the bread. Another round soft-rind cheese such as Brie (Brie Fermier is especially good) or, Jasper Hill Farm’s Harbison, Old Chatham Camembert, or your own favorite can be substituted. This recipe can be prepared well ahead and makes an impressive appetizer. Don’t toss the hollowed-out loaf when you’re finished dipping into the cheese—it’s the best part of the dish!