Mix the milk, egg, salt and pepper in a wide, shallow dish.
Dip the bread in the egg mixture to coat on both sides.
Melt a touch of butter in a pan and fry the bread until golden brown on both sides, about 2-3 minutes per side.
Sprinkle the parmigiano reggiano over the french toast. (The french toast should still be warm enough that the cheese melts. Otherwise you can place it under the broiler for a few seconds to melt the cheese.)