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How to make the best Cheese Toastie
With our versatile Toasters and renowned Sandwich Cages, we like to consider ourselves cheese toastie connoisseurs. From the type of bread and cheese that you choose, to the fillings, accompaniments and toasting time, there's a lot to take into consideration when trying to build the ultimate cheese toastie.
We've asked our inhouse recipe developer, Paulene Enigbokan, to put together some of her top tips to help you make the toastie of your dreams!
The Cheese
- The best cheese to use is always a low-fat option if you're planning on making a purely cheese toastie - try Gouda, Mozzarella, Edam or Emmental. Feta is also a great option for a slightly saltier flavour but tends to pair best with fresh fillings, like tomatoes. When opting for multiple fillings, try using a more mature cheese, like Cheddar or Red Leicester, as these have a much stronger flavour and can therefore be paired with other intense ingredients that may otherwise overpower the cheese.
- You can also experiment with the form of your cheese; cheese slices are perfect for making a quick lunch as it requires no additional time or effort and also makes less mess than grated cheese. However, grated cheese (or slicing your own cheese) means that the cheese can spread further and can provide a better coverage over the bread - it can also melt better in some cases. Soft cheese is also a great option for a mess free toastie, particularly in you're pairing it with milder fillings, like fruits or savoury spreads.
The Bread
- The best bread is always supermarket own brand bread - this seems to be a little drier than fresh bread and will therefore toast exceptionally well. By using a drier bread, your toast will crisp all the way through, adding a nice textural element to your toastie. Alternatively, toasties are a great way to use up old or leftover bread that's going slightly stale as this will also feature that critical dryness that results in the perfect crisp.
- Always opt for medium sliced bread - thicker bread can make your toastie too thick, making it difficult to both toast and eat. The bread, particularly if slightly dry, can ruin the overall texture of your toastie if too thick. However, too thin and your toastie won't be able to hold a suitable volume of filling - and we all know that the fillings make or break a toastie!
- For something slightly fancier, try an artisan bread like Sourdough - just make sure to slice it reasonably thinly to enable both slices to fit into your Sandwich Cage. You could also opt for a sesame seeded or poppy seed bagel, baton or loaf, adding extra crunch and a nutty finish.
Fillings
- Aside from cheese, your toastie can feature almost any filling of your choice. For a super satisfying meal, try adding an element of protein - some of our favourites include chicken and bacon, tuna or ham. If you're vegetarian or vegan, meat alternatives, tempeh or tofu and smashed chickpeas or hummus all make great options.
- Experiment with different fruits and vegetables - your toastie could be sweet or savoury depending on what you have in the cupboard or fridge. Fresh tomatoes, roasted vegetables, onion, peas and sweetcorn are all staple groceries that work perfectly with a wide variety of cheeses. If you're using a plain soft cheese or feta, try fruits like figs, blackberries, apple or banana with a little cinnamon and liquid sweetener (honey or agave work best) for a brilliant breakfast or snack.
- For the days where you just fancy cheese, try adding different spreads and sauces to your toastie. Basil pesto, guacamole, BBQ sauce, ketchup, mayonnaise, siracha, tomato purée or garlic butter are all simple (yet delicious) choices!
Toasting
- We recommend using our Sandwich Cages for quick, easy and perfect toasting every time. This not only saves time as you don't need to wait for pans or hot plates to heat up, but also means less washing up at the end of the meal. Simply lightly butter the outside of two slices of bread, build your fillings on top of one unbuttered side, then spread your sauces on the unbuttered side of the second slice. Place into your Sandwich Cage, pop into your Classic, Architect or Domus Toaster and toast until golden brown. Our top tip is to leave the toastie in the toaster for one minute after toasting, as this helps make sure the cheese is fully melted.
- For those that don't have a Sandwich Cage, you can also use a grill, sandwich press or frying pan. Spread butter on the outer sides of the bread to prevent your toastie from sticking, then keep over the heat until the bread is golden brown, the cheese is melted and the fillings are cooked through.
Dualit Toastie Recipes
Check out some of our toastie recipes below!
Signature Toastie
A great classic base to start creating your perfect toastie.
Mozzarella, Pesto and Tomato Toastie
Melted mozzarella, tomatoes and pesto sounds a comforting treat, but you can up the nutrition...
Spicy Mexican Toastie
This tasty toastie recipe is a take on a classic Mexican quesadilla. It is quick and easy to make...
Tuna Crunch Toastie
A toastie doesn’t have to be made with sliced bread! In this recipe we use pitta breads filled...
Chickpea Salsa Toastie
Toasties don't have to be all about sliced bread, this recipe uses pitta bread filled with a...
Corned Beef And Pickle Toastie
What’s a more classic store cupboard essential than corned beef?! Teamed with bread, some pickle...
Indian Toastie
This Indian Toastie, created by one of our fabulous in-store demonstrators, Elizabeth, can be as...
Italian Pizzeria toastie
This toastie gives you a taste of traditional, Italian pizzas and is also a good vegetarian option.
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