Tosta Mista
(TOH-shtah MEESH-tah)
The Weeknight Tasca: Quick Bites & Sandwiches
At three p.m. at a Lisbon tasca, the espresso machine rattles and the butter hisses across a hot griddle. You just need thick bread, supermarket sliced ham, a highly meltable Havarti in place of the hard-to-find Flamengo, and a total disregard for restraint when it comes to buttering both the inside and outside of the loaf. Press it hard with a heavy cast-iron skillet, and eat it standing up.
Ingredients
- artisan homestyle white bread or sourdough4 slices
- unsalted European-style butter3 tbsp
- Havarti or young Edam cheese6 slices
- deli ham6 slices
- dried oregano1/2 tsp
Method
- 01
Butter the inside of the bread.
Lay the four bread slices flat and lightly butter the interior of each; this is the tasca secret that enriches the crumb and bonds with the melting cheese.
- 02
Build the sandwich layers.
Place a slice of cheese on two of the bread slices, top with the ham, and sprinkle with oregano. Add a second slice of cheese to act as glue, then close the sandwiches with the remaining bread, buttered-side down.
- 03
Butter the exterior.
Generously smear the top of each assembled sandwich with butter.
- 04
Toast slowly over medium-low heat.
Heat a heavy skillet or cast-iron pan. Place the sandwiches buttered-side down, then butter the upward-facing dry sides. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes until deeply golden, carefully flip, and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes. Cover the pan with a lid for the last two minutes to guarantee a perfect cheese pull.
- 05
Slice and serve immediately.
Remove from the heat and cut on a diagonal. Serve alongside a strong espresso or a cold beer.
Notes
Use a wine cork if employing a panini press.
If using a heavy sandwich press instead of a skillet, lay a natural wine cork horizontally on the grates beside the sandwich. The lid will rest on the cork rather than crushing the bread into a dense cracker and forcing your precious cheese out the sides.