10 rules to a top toasted sandwich
Way, way back in the day, toasted sandwiches were made under the searing heat of the grill, fried in a pan or - for the outdoor types - in a cast iron jaffle iron over a camp fire.
Disappointingly, some were made like a conventional sandwich with only the bread toasted first.
Pretty lame, actually.
Then, in the mid 1970s, came a how-did-we-live-without-it gadget that was quite literally, the best thing for sliced bread.
Thank you, Breville, for introducing the electric jaffle maker into the market.
Like the Hoover and Band-Aid brands, the product was so unique, so indispensable, so awesome, its name became part of our eating vernacular.
Mums and dads all over Australia would call out "Who wants a Breville?" and start cracking eggs into the centre of the bread or filling it with leftover bolognese sauce for Sunday night's dinner.
Baked bean Brevilles, banana and honey Brevilles, Brevilles oozing with cheddar cheese and ham… there was a filling for every occasion.
It was a toastie revolution!
These days, sandwich presses with features such as "floating hinges" and "adjustable plate heights" allow us to whip up everything from wafer thin quesadillas to open sandwich melts. Add to that the smorgasbord of bread - rye, soy and linseed, Turkish, mountain, sourdough, panini, spelt, even plain old white - and you're the toastie hostie with the mostie.
The Rules
To celebrate this classic winter lunch or late-night dinner snack, here are some toasted sandwich rules worth noting:
1. BETTER-than-average ham and better-than-average cheese on better-than-average bread make a better-than-average sandwich. In other words, spend the extra and reap the rewards.
2. BREAD shouldn't be any thicker than 1.5cm, 2cm at most, per slice otherwise it's only the bread that toasts.
3. THE only leafy green worth putting on a toasted sandwich - and only in combination with other ingredients - is baby spinach. Rocket at a pinch.
4. FRESH veg in general is best avoided - even the beloved tomato can miss its target. Better options are pickled vegetables such as sauerkraut, roasted eggplant or sweet potato, and semi or sun-dried tomatoes.
5. RELISHES and pickles are better condiment choices than mustards and mayo. If you need a binding agent, go for a little finely grated cheese.
6. DITTO butter over margarine. Or, if your sandwich is inspired by the Italians, a trickle of olive oil works a treat.
7. OBVIOUS, but worth remembering is that grated cheese will melt faster than thick slices. This is especially important if you want the heat to do its work on all the ingredients in a multi-layered construction.
8. SOME jaffle fillings - baked beans or any kind of stewed meat - benefit from being heated a little first before being spooned on to the bread.
9. FINELY chopped raw white onion puts a lively zing into a toastie. It's especially good with tuna and bitey cheddar.
10. TOASTIES and cured meats are made for each other.
Source: Taste.com.au, 9 July 2013
