Bread and cheese? Yes, please! Here, I’ve used smoked ham, tomato and mozzarella, but if you can put it on a pizza, you can put it on a melt. Also a great way to use up some leftovers. I have four rules. First rule: use good bread. Above I’ve used a sourdough ciabatta breadstick. Amazeballs. Crunchy, yet light and tasty. Second rule: lightly toast the bread first. Third rule: season TWICE. Once when you first put the cheese on, then a final sprinkled flourish over the melt. Fourth rule: warm the ingredients, even if you have to take it slowly, layer by layer, taking care not to burn the bread. Not warming the ingredients is like trying to put a blanket on a polar bear. It never works.

I lied. Fifth rule: relax!

UPDATE: Ciabatta also works very well with BLT. Fry bacon until crisp, drain on paper towel. Layer bread with bacon, tomato, cos lettuce, mayonnaise, maybe a bit of avocado, season.

“Thou didst thy crust with me divide,
Thou didst thy cloak around me fold;
And, sitting silent by thy side,
I ate the bread in peace untold:
Given kindly from thy hand, ’twas sweet
As costly fare or princely treat
On royal plate of gold.”
-charlotte Brontë, from “The Wood”

Ingredients

bread – preferably crunchy that will hold its shape; ciabatta, pane di casa, rye, baguette
cheese – mozzarella, or a mix of mozzarella/cheddar
other ingredients – if you can put it on a pizza, you can put it on a melt

Suggestions

ham, tomato, cheese (a little mustard on the ham if you like that)
tuna (and, stay with me, if you like pineapple on pizza you will like it with tuna)
a mix of tuna, mayo and finely chopped red onion
corned beef with finely sliced dill pickle
meat lovers – hot salami, ham, a little BBQ sauce
pulled pork, finely chopped red onion, thin sliced red capsicum
mushrooms – by themselves, with meat, or other vegetables

Instructions

Slice the bread to your desired thickness. Toast on one side under the grill. Then very lightly toast on the other side.
You can butter the very lightly toasted side now (optional). It does add a little depth to the flavour, not gonna lie.
Add ingredients. To ensure they warm through, you may need to put them on layer by layer. They don't need long. You'll need to watch to ensure the bread doesn't burn.
Add the cheese. Ensure it overlaps the ingredients so they don't slide off when you take a bite later. Ingredients in lap = no no. Season now.
Grill until cheese is melted and bubbling. Season again. Sprinkle with herbs if you like.

Hello!

Four Rule Grilled Open Melts