Cheese toasties will be 'richer and crispier' if you add 1 unusual ingredient

Toastie fanatics no longer need to work to improve their pan-fried sandwich, with recipe claiming to be the ultimate toastie calling for the addition of one ingredient. Bon Appetitshared their "best grilled cheese" by cookbook author Alison Roman.

The magazine said their toastie is the "pinnacle of crave-worthiness", which doesn't aim to reinvent the comfort food but to "guide you toward the best-ever version of it". The magazine recommends using thick white bread, thinly sliced cheese, black pepper, and unsalted butter. A major difference to how most of us make toastiesis in the replacement of butter on the outside of the bread with mayonnaise. To ensure "golden (not burned) toastiness", the outside of the bread should be covered with mayonnaise, which has a higher smoke point and "possesses the combined browning power of oil and eggyolks".

Bon Appetit said: "When mayo-slicked slices of bread meet butter-slicked pan, that's what makes crispy magic."

Next, they said, the cheese "must be melty". The magazine proclaimed American cheese to be the best but mature Cheddar works too and "brings richer flavour".

If you'd prefer another cheese, the recipe says to stick to a "young soft or semisoft cheese" like Swiss, Gruyere, or Havarti, which are easily meltable due to their high moisture content.

Once the sandwich is in the pan, pressing down with a spatula "helps achieve even toasting and encourages bread and cheese to meld". Bon Appetit says: "Don't be overzealous; this is not a smashed cheese sandwich."

Lastly, cut the sandwich diagonally - sandwiches cut this way actually taste better. Several studies have confirmed this phenomenon, with triangles giving you more sandwich filling per bite.

The magazine recommends serving your cheese toastie with tomato soup, a classic combination where the sweetness and acidity of the tomato soup cuts through the richness of the cheese.