This is Miriam Al-Noah’s (@mealswithmim on Instagram and TikTo) go-to toastie, any time of the year. It’s salty, zesty and seriously moreish, with a filling that comes together in minutes but always hits the spot. Tuna forms the base (of course), with plenty of brightness and seasoning cutting through the richness, all tucked between slices of bread and toasted until golden and crisp.

The humble toastie recipe is an easy option for lunch, a quick dinner or those moments when there’s not much in the fridge but you still want something that tastes delicious. Like many of Al-Noah’s recipes, it’s forgiving too, so the quantities can easily be adjusted to taste – add a little more zest, dial up the saltiness or make it as generously filled as you like.

The recipe below uses a small tin of tuna, which makes enough filling for just over one sandwich. If you’re making toasties for a crowd – or simply want enough for another tomorrow – increase the tuna and adjust the remaining ingredients accordingly. Serve straight from the pan while the bread is golden and crisp and the filling is still warm.

Ingredients

Makes 1 generously filled toastie

• 1 small shallot
• 1 small tin of tuna in olive oil
• 1 tbsp capers
• 3–4 guindilla peppers, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp Kewpie mayonnaise
• 1 tbsp finely chopped parsley
• 2 tsp finely chopped tarragon
• Zest of ½ lemon
• Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
• 2 thick slices of sourdough
• Butter, for the bread
• Parmesan, for grating
• Olive oil, for frying
• Flaky sea salt, to finish
• Extra guindilla peppers, to serve

Method

1. Make the tuna filling by emptying the tuna into a bowl, leaving most of the olive oil in the tin. You want the mixture to be rich and moist, but not overly oily.
2. Finely dice the shallot – you want roughly 1 tablespoon. Add it to the tuna
3. Finely chop the parsley and tarragon and add them to the bowl, along with the capers, chopped guindilla peppers, lemon zest and Kewpie mayonnaise.
4. Add freshly cracked black pepper and a little salt, keeping in mind that the capers, tuna and parmesan will already add plenty of saltiness. Mix everything together, taste, and adjust the seasoning to your liking.
5. Butter one side of each slice of sourdough. Place the tuna mixture between the slices, then grate a generous amount of parmesan over the filling before closing the sandwich. The buttered sides should be facing outwards.
6. Heat a little olive oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Place the sandwich in the pan and cook until the bread is deeply golden and crisp and the parmesan has melted.
7. Remove from the pan, slice in half and sprinkle with a little flaky sea salt. Finish with a few extra guindilla peppers. Serve immediately.