How long does a toastie take

Cheese toastie, grilled cheese, or whatever you call it, a toasted cheese sandwich is a beautiful thing. Filling the gap as a working-from-home lunch, a quick dinner before (or after) the pub, or a guaranteed cure for the morning after, you cant beat salty, crispy, toasty bread filled with ridiculously oozy cheese.

Jamie says:

Im not messing about here this is the ultimate one and its going to blow your mind. But there is a particular sequence of events that needs to happen in order to achieve the No. 1 toasted cheese sarnie. And we wont score any points for buying expensive, artisan bread here. Its important to go for something neutral and, in my eyes, only a white bloomer will do.

So, grab 2 slices of bread, choose your cheese and follow this step-by-step cheese toastie recipe that will always make you feel good.

Serves 1
Takes 15 minutes

1. Lightly butter the bread on both sides.
   
2. To one piece of bread, add a nice grating of good-quality cheese that melts well, like Cheddar, Red Leicester or a mixture of the two.
   
3. Place your second piece of bread on top, then cook in a sturdy non-stick frying pan on a medium heat for about 3 minutes on each side. This is important, because if it gets too coloured too quickly you wont get the gorgeous ooze and melt in the middle, and this is all about encouraging that internal cheese lava flow.
   
4. When lightly golden on both sides, lift the toastie out of the pan and grate a little layer of cheese into the pan where it was sitting, then add a little pinch of cayenne pepper.
   
5. Place the toastie back on top. Leave it for just over 1 minute wait for the cheese to bubble and the fat to spill out of it
   
6. Give the toastie a poke with a fish slice, and once it has a cheesy, doily-like crust on the bottom that moves as one, lift the toastie out of the pan and hold it on the fish slice for 30 seconds so the melted cheese hangs down, sets hard and forms an impressive cheese crown.
   
7. Flip it onto the other side and once golden, serve, remembering to let it cool for a couple of minutes before attempting to tuck in.

HOW WILL YOU FILL YOURS?

Dont stop at just cheese. Pretty much anything goes, so create your own filling combos and have some fun.

Check out our suggestions below using some great British cheeses just for starters:

• Montgomerys cheddar, Ogleshield and chopped spring onions. Serve with a pickle.
• Mrs Kirkhams Lancashire cheese, Wensleydale and apricot jam (or even orange marmalade). Serve with a pickle.
• Keens Cheddar, Red Leicester and dry cured smoked ham. Serve with a baby spinach, watercress and apple salad.
• Westcombe Cheddar and Gruyère, thinly sliced smoked ham and a lick of Dijon mustard. Serve with cornichons.
• Coolea, Westcombe Cheddar, a tablespoon of chopped onions slow cooked in a splash of red wine vinegar and a slice of roast ham.
• Keens Cheddar, sliced tomato, quick-pickled red onion (sliced red onion soaked in red wine vinegar, salt and a few thyme tips), sea salt & freshly ground black pepper.

FINISHING TOUCHES

The final debate is what do you want on the side? Tomato ketchup, brown sauce, a shake of Tabasco or hot sauce, mango chutney, chilli jam, or a mixture? They are all fine choices, and, dolloped onto a side plate like a painters palette, really come into their own.

Watch how Jamie does it: