“Ooey Gooey” Toasted Cheese Sandwich with Spinach + Onion

Serves: 5

INGREDIENTS

The sandwich stuff

10 slices bread, buttered each side

2 cups grated cheese - if you save the odds and ends of cheese, use this

salt and pepper, to taste

Spinach filling

2 tablespoons olive oil, swirl in bottom of pan

2 onions, sliced

dash of vinegar, for tang - I've used red wine vinegar

1-2 garlic cloves, smashed and roughly chopped

2 handfuls or more chopped spinach/silverbeet

salt and pepper, to taste

METHOD

Sauté the onions and garlic in oil on medium heat until soft. Add spinach and vinegar and cook until the spinach is wilted; season to taste. To hurry it along, put a lid on the pan. Set aside once cooked.

Place the 10 pieces of bread on a cutting board and lightly butter each side. Gently place enough cheese on 5 pieces of the bread, then the spinach and onion mixture and some more cheese. Top with the other five pieces, making a "sandwich."

Reuse the same pan on medium heat. Heat the oil, place the sandwiches into the pan, probably two at a time, and pan-fry for 2-3 minutes each side till the cheese is melted and the bread is toasty.

If using thick bread, use something heavy to hold the sandwich down when pan-frying, it will help with the crunch. If you have a sandwich press, use it!

Once cooked, I keep them in a warm oven till all are done as they're best served hot, cut in half. It may seem a little labour-intensive in the pan, but they are so worth it.