Patty melt

Patty melt

Patty melt with French fries and garnishes
Type	Sandwich
Place of origin	United States
Main ingredients	Rye bread, hamburger patty, onions, cheese (Cheddar)

A patty melt is a type of sandwich consisting of a hamburger patty, sometimes topped with caramelized onions, and American, Cheddar or Swiss cheese, between two slices of bread (traditionally rye, though sourdough is sometimes substituted in some regions including the southeastern U.S.). Patty melts are sometimes prepared using marbled rye bread. In some places, especially in the U.S., a patty melt can consist of only the hamburger patty, with cheese, on a single piece of toast/bun. The hamburger is then fried with butter on a frying pan so that the cheese melts thoroughly. It is unclear when the actual patty melt was invented, but records exist of them being served as early as the 1940s. They embellish on the traditional cheeseburger, and further take the burger back to its roots by being served on bread versus a bun.