Quick and easy snacks

Pan-toasted sandwich with tomato, chilli and gubbeen cheese

MAKES 2 SANDWICHES

This is the ultimate toasted cheese sandwich, and I often alter the ingredients, depending on what I have in the fridge. I love the semi-soft, creamy Gubbeen cheese, but you can use any good cheese (though not soft goats' cheese, it runs out of the sandwich when it cooks).

4 tablespoons olive oil
¼ red chilli, deseeded and chopped
2 small cloves of garlic, crushed or finely grated
Good pinch of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 ripe tomatoes, sliced
4 slices of good white bread
75g (2¾oz) Gubbeen cheese, sliced
6 basil leaves, or rocket or watercress
15g (½oz) butter

Place 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, chopped chilli, garlic, salt and pepper into a bowl and mix. Add the sliced tomatoes and toss gently in the oil. Brush one side of each piece of bread with the chilli and garlic oil from the tomatoes and set two of the pieces of bread aside. Place the sliced cheese onto two of the pieces of bread, on top of the oil, then the basil leaves on top of that, then the tomatoes, then top with the two slices of bread that you set aside, oiled side down. Melt the butter and the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and add the sandwiches. Cover with a lid or plate and cook until golden brown on one side, turn over and cook on the other side until golden, still covered with a lid or plate. Serve now!