When you’re watching your budget but not willing to succumb to cereal for dinner (again), this simple sandwich is the way to go. It’s an update on the kids’ menu classic; it calls for sourdough and Cheddar instead of white bread and Kraft singles—but it still requires nothing more than bread, butter, and cheese. The key is buttering the outside of the bread— all the way to the edge—so that you get that golden-brown crispy finish. And grating the cheese rather than slicing means it will do that stringy, melty thing when you bite into it. If you’ve got an apple lying around, try the honey and apple version below. It’s a sweet/savory home run.
SERVES: 2
INGREDEINTS:
- 1 tablespoon butter, softened
- 4 slices sourdough, rye, or other bread
- 1 cup grated Cheddar cheese
INSTRUDCTIONS:
- Spread the butter on one side of each slice of bread, making sure the butter reaches all the way to the edges. Set 2 slices on a work surface, buttered sides down, and mound the unbuttered sides with ½ cup grated cheese each. Set the remaining bread slices on the cheese, buttered sides up, and press together.
- Heat a large cast-iron skillet over moderate heat. Put the sandwiches in the skillet and cook until the undersides are browned, about 3 minutes. Turn the sandwiches over and cook until the second side is browned and the cheese is melted, about 3 minutes longer. Cut the sandwiches in two and serve.
VARIATIONS:
- Top the cheese with crisp bacon and slices of tomato and avocado.
- Spread the insides of the bread with honey and top the cheese with thin slices of green apple.
- Use crumbled blue cheese instead of Cheddar, and top with a sprinkling of chopped smoked almonds and thin slices of pear.
- Spread the insides of the bread with grainy mustard, use Gruyère cheese, and top with thin slices of Black Forest or honey-baked ham.
