The Not So Humble Cheese Toastie

The not so humble but so very simple cheese toastie. The idea of a toasted cheese sandwich has been around since the early Roman Empire, obviously a sandwich was not conceived of in the form we view it at that time, and the French have been creating the Croque Monsieurs (with ham) since the early 19th Century, we're taking it all up a notch or two by making it even more simple.

Prep Time 5 mins

Cook Time 6 mins

Total Time 11 mins

Cuisine: British, Europe

Courses: Mains

Difficulty: Beginner

Servings: 2

Dietary: Vegetarian

Ingredients

4 slices bread
150 g robust Cheddar
lemon zest
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
butter

Instructions

1
Take all 4 slices of bread and butter on one side, do not butter the outside of the slices.
2
Lay two slices of bread on a bread board and add the cheese, topped with the lemon rind and a few thyme leaves.
Distribute the cheese evenly and keep it slightly inside the bread edges so it melts through the sandwich rather than immediately escaping into the pan.
3
Add the third and fourth slices atop the first two, in essence you simply have 2 sandwiches side by side.
4
Place both sandwiches in a heavy skillet, or, if you feel your pan is not large enough without overcrowding then simply cook one at a time. Ensure the pan is on a medium heat and cook for about 3 minutes on each side.
Use medium heat as written and cook one at a time if necessary. Too much heat browns the bread before the centre has time to melt.
5
If you rush this it will colour too quickly and you won’t get the abundance of melted cheese in the middle, you really want that melt to be at its best.
The useful endpoint is an evenly golden exterior with the cheese fully softened, not a fixed three minutes per side.
6
When lightly golden on both sides remove from the skillet and return to the bread board, wait for 30 to 60 seconds prior to cutting into the sandwich and serving, this encourages a final extra melt.
The short rest also makes the molten cheese less likely to spill immediately when the sandwich is cut.
7
Add more thyme leaves and serve alongside your chosen salad.

Nutrition Facts

Servings 2

Amount Per Serving
Calories 574.88kcal

% Daily Value *
Total Fat 37.34g58%
Saturated Fat 21.94g110%
Cholesterol 21.50mg8%
Sodium 817.74mg35%
Potassium 224.25mg7%
Total Carbohydrate 31.35g11%
Dietary Fiber 5.38g22%
Sugars 4.69g
Protein 28.77g58%

Calcium 630.81 mg
Iron 2.03 mg
Vitamin D 0.23 IU

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Note

Accompanied by a nice crisp salad with a vinaigrette, along with a few golden grape or green grape variety of small tomatoes and balsamic vinegar goes down a treat. Butter the inside surfaces only; leave the outer surfaces unbuttered. Rest 30-60 seconds before cutting.