Tostado Mixto — Argentine Café Toastie

Ingredients

• 4 slices soft white sandwich bread, crusts removed
• 4 oz thinly sliced cooked ham
• 4 slices mild semi-hard cheese
• 3 tbsp butter, softened
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• Black pepper

Method

1. Trim the crusts and press each slice gently with a rolling pin until slightly compacted. Argentine tostados are thin by design — this is not an American grilled cheese.
2. Layer cheese, ham, a pinch of oregano and pepper, then cheese again so the meat is fully sandwiched. Cheese against both slices is what glues it together.
3. Butter the outsides of the bread right to the edges.
4. Press in a hot skillet under a heavy pan, or in a sandwich press, for 3–4 minutes a side until the bread is flattened, evenly bronzed, and the cheese has crept out and crisped.
5. Cut into triangles and eat immediately, ideally standing at a café counter.