Two fried eggs sprinkled with chives over ham and dark bread on a white plate, with sliced pickled gherkin on the side. — Photo: Benreis · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

European · Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner

Strammer Max

Name: Strammer Max
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 8 min
Total time: 13 min
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: 2 slices wholegrain rye bread; 4 thin slices lean cooked ham, thinly sliced; 2 large eggs; 1 tsp rapeseed oil; 1 medium tomato, sliced; 2 small pickled gherkins, sliced; 1 tbsp fresh chives, snipped; 1 pinch black pepper

By BerryFit Kitchen · Nutrition checked with USDA data · Updated Oct 20, 2026 · How we make recipes

A hearty German open sandwich of toasted wholegrain rye topped with lean cooked ham and a sunny fried egg, finished with fresh chives and a crunch of pickled gherkin. Quick, filling and perfect for a protein-packed brunch or light supper.

Prep: 5 min
Cook: 8 min
Total: 13 min
Serves: 2

Easy
Dairy Free

15%

Per serving291kcal15% of a 2,000 kcal day

20gProtein

28gCarbs

11gFat

4gFiber

Calories come from: Carbs 38% · Fat 34% · Protein 28%

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Ingredients

For 2 servings

2 slices100 gwholegrain rye bread
4 thin slices80 glean cooked ham, thinly sliced
2 large100 geggs
1 tsp5 grapeseed oil
1 medium120 gtomato, sliced
2 small40 gpickled gherkins, sliced (optional)
1 tbspfresh chives, snipped
1 pinchblack pepper

Steps

1
Toast the rye bread slices until lightly crisp, then place each on a plate.
2
Lay the tomato slices over the toast.
3
Arrange the ham slices on top of the tomato.
4
Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium heat.
5
Crack the eggs into the pan and fry for 3-4 minutes until the whites are fully set; cover with a lid for the last minute if you like the yolk firmer.
6
For safety, cook until the whites are firm and the yolk has started to thicken, or fully set for vulnerable eaters.
7
Slide one egg onto each sandwich.
8
Season with black pepper and scatter over the chives; the ham and gherkins bring enough salt.
9
Serve with the gherkin slices on the side or on top.

Swaps, storage and make-ahead

Swaps

Use a thick slice of smoked tofu or sautéed mushrooms instead of ham for a vegetarian version.
Swap the rye bread for a gluten-free bread, and choose ham and gherkins labelled gluten-free, to make it gluten-free.
Use sliced cooked turkey breast instead of ham if you prefer a milder flavour.
Replace the rapeseed oil with a light spray of cooking oil to use less fat in the pan.

Storage

This is best eaten fresh, as the toast goes soggy and fried eggs turn rubbery when reheated. Keep any unused ham, tomato and gherkins covered in the fridge, and refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours, eating them within a day.

Make ahead

You can slice the tomato, gherkins and chives a few hours ahead and keep them covered in the fridge, then toast the bread and fry the eggs just before serving.

Nutrition values are for the recipe as written.

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Allergens and nutrition

Contains: GlutenEggsMustard

Check the labels of packaged ingredients for allergens and suitability for your diet.

Full nutrition

	Per serving (204 g)	Per 100 g
Calories	291 kcal	143 kcal
Protein	19.5 g	9.6 g
Carbohydrates	27.6 g	13.5 g
of which sugars	3.7 g	1.8 g
Fiber	3.7 g	1.8 g
Fat	11 g	5.4 g
of which saturated	2.8 g	1.4 g
Sodium	856 mg	420 mg

Nutrition is calculated from USDA FoodData Central data and may differ from what you cook.