Tostada Cubana with Café con Leche

Ingredients

• 1 loaf Cuban or soft Italian bread, cut into 8-inch lengths
• 4 tbsp salted butter, softened
• 1 cup whole milk
• 4 shots strong espresso
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 1 pinch salt

Method

1. Split the bread lengthwise without cutting all the way through and spread butter edge to edge on both cut faces. Be more generous than feels correct.
2. Press the bread butter-side down in a hot dry skillet under a heavy pan for 3–4 minutes, until it flattens to half its height and the surface is crackly and gold.
3. Whip the sugar with the first tablespoon of hot espresso in a mug until it turns pale and thick like caramel — that is the espumita, and it takes about a minute of hard stirring.
4. Scald the milk with a pinch of salt until it steams but does not boil, then pour it and the remaining espresso into the mug and stir.
5. Cut the tostada into batons and dunk them. Cuban breakfast is a two-handed sport.