Toasties

I use a Breville toaster, toastabags or an ordinary ungreased frying pan.
For each method I butter the outer sides of the bread and apply ‘persuasion’ (clamping shut the Breville, wedging the bags in the toaster, using a spatula to press down in the frying pan). All results are good but the Breville wins with two pretty cockleshell triangles, sealed edges and a crunchier texture.
It used to be easy to find toastabags but they don’t appear in supermarkets. Lakeland’s, I’m sure, will be a great purchase.
I hope you feel better soon Lucca.
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No advice on the cooking front, Lucca but ?. Think of you often ?.

Do toasting bags make them crispy?

Lucca

DH bought some toast bags on line. They've been brilliant, pop them in the toaster and you get toasted sandwiches with no mess.

Callistemon - reasonably crunchy (ditto frying pan results) but if you enjoy a pork crackling type crunch a dedicated machine is the answer.

Air fryers get them crispy too.

Re buttering both sides of the bread - you only need to butter the outside, so it's no different from making the sandwich the usual way, just that the buttered side has to make contact with the heat source.

I don’t butter the outside. I also make the sandwich, halve it and use two bags so that the sandwich fits in. I like the crusts. I put the bags in the dishwasher. Experiment. I hope you are being well looked after.

Nannagarra

Callistemon - reasonably crunchy (ditto frying pan results) but if you enjoy a pork crackling type crunch a dedicated machine is the answer.

Thanks Nanagarra

I might try them

I’m with Feelingmyage55’s advice to halve the sandwich and use two bags. The first type I had were black, thick and plasticky. The latest are like waxed paper. As they have torn at the edges I need to replace them so have been searching for them in supermarkets.
Years ago on a holiday hints page I read of someone in a hotel room who enclosed a sandwich in tin foil and ironed it. There’s always one!
???

Nannagarra

I’m with Feelingmyage55’s advice to halve the sandwich and use two bags. The first type I had were black, thick and plasticky. The latest are like waxed paper. As they have torn at the edges I need to replace them so have been searching for them in supermarkets.
Years ago on a holiday hints page I read of someone in a hotel room who enclosed a sandwich in tin foil and ironed it. There’s always one!
???

Whatever was wrong with room service? ???

When life gets too busy to think properly about food, my only hot food each day is a toastie made in my Breville sandwich toaster. My daughter bought me a book called ‘Gourmet Posh Toasties’ which has loads of interesting and mostly rather nice suggestions for fillings.

www.amazon.co.uk/Posh-Toasties-Delicious-Gourmet-Sandwich/dp/1909855863/?tag=gransnetforum-21

Skinflint I think Callistemon!
???

Thanks geekesse. I have ordered it.

very best wishes for your health lucca.

We love making quesadilla type toasties as a yummy alternative to regular bread ones - melt a small knob of butter in a non stick frying pan, pop in a tortilla or flatbread and spread filling of choice on one half...tuna mayo & cheese maybe or good old ham & cheddar... fold unfilled half over to cover, fry gently then flip whole thing over and fry the other side.

Delish!

(You can use left over chilli with a bit of guacamole and your favourite cheese or whatever combination you like) xx

I should have added piada or piadina to the bread choice Lucca

I’m pleased to see you posting today Lucca as I had thought about you and hoped that the chemo wasn’t too bad for you.
Talking of cheese toasties, they’ve got to have a good shake of Worcestershire sauce surely?!

Try buttering the outside with garlic butter - makes a plain old cheese toastie into something rather special.

crimpit.co.uk/

I saw an advert for these just a few days ago. You do have to use the ‘thins ’ bread though.

I'm another air fryer aficionado. I loved my toasted ham and cheese, butter on the outside only. I know what I'm having for lunch tomorrow

Chestnut - yours isn't toasted cheese at all - just melted. My family think the ones made in the air fryer are the absolute best - so crispy and tasty - just butter the outside! I did have a toasty maker (too hard to keep clean) then used a frying pan (pretty good) but now the air fryer.

I have found that a panini press gives a really good toasted sandwich, no need to butter the outside of the bread, just make your normal sandwich and toast it. Easy to clean too.

I think of myself of something of a toastie expert having the breville, the bags and a sandwich press (the ‘floating’ sort)

I definitely recommend the press. You get exactly the result that you want; you can see what’s going on and move your toastie about accordingly; and they are super easy to clean.
You don’t need to use any butter.
I love simple cheddar cheese toasties with Heinz lentil soup.

I just realised that I said exactly what the previous poster said, in a much more long winded manner

I've just bought an air frier. Liking it so much, but only had it a few days. What settings are best for the toasted sandwiches please?