Use white bread that has been baked in round pie-pans with baking powder rather than yeast so that it is not too porous. De-crust when cool, preferably with a grater, and allow it to stand overnight. Brush the exposed sides with milk if too dry, and slice in thicknesses equivalent to the layers of an ordinary layer-cake.
Make Maitre d’Hotel butter by adding the juice of half a lemon, a pinch of pepper, and a dessert-spoonful of finely minced parsley to 3 1/2 ounces of butter and mix thoroughly. Spread as much as is needed on the lowest layer of bread and top with minced roast beef.
Butter the under side of the second layer with Maitre d’Hotel butter and on the reverse apply a mixture of mustard and butter and top with minced ham.
Cover with the third layer the under side of which has been spread with mustard-butter. Top with pure butter and Dutch cheese, either grated or in slices, and cover with the fourth layer, buttered side down.
Dissolve over steam a generous dessert-spoonful of butter with the yolks of three eggs, add pepper and salt to taste, and cook until the mixture attains the consistency of custard. Pour over the pie, being careful to see that the top and sides are entirely covered, as when icing a cake. When cold and firm, garnish with slices of hard-boiled eggs. A small lettuce leaf under each slice of egg might add interest.
Instead of the butter-egg spread you can use a firm mayonnaise. This is made by adding 3 ounces of gelatine dissolved in four dessert-spoonfuls of boiling water to 2 eggs and half a bottle of salad oil. Do not combine the gelatine with the mayonnaise unless it is to be used at once.
Slice the pie as you would a layer-cake and serve
Garnishes and inside sandwich paste can be varied according to what you prefer or what you have available.
