Cheese and ham panini

Brush the outside of the bread lightly with olive oil or butter. Cook it in a hot frying pan over medium heat for about 3–4 minutes per side, pressing with a second pan, until the bread is golden and the cheese has melted.

Cheddar gives a familiar, savoury flavour and melts well; mozzarella makes the filling softer and stretchier. For both flavour and melt, use a little of each.

Yes. Preheat the toaster, place the panini inside without forcing the lid down, and cook until the bread is crisp and the cheese has melted, usually around 4–6 minutes.

Try sliced tomato with a little black pepper, or add Dijon mustard for a sharper bite. A spoonful of caramelised onion chutney also works well with mature Cheddar and ham.

You can assemble it in advance, wrap it and keep it in the fridge until you’re ready to cook it. For the crispest bread, cook it just before serving rather than storing it already toasted.

Refrigerate it within two hours, then eat it within 48 hours. Reheat it once in a dry frying pan over medium-low heat, turning it until it is steaming hot throughout.

They are very close: a toasted ham and cheese sandwich has 253 kcal per 100 g, compared with 248 kcal per 100 g in a cheese and ham panini.

The bread contains wheat and the cheese contains milk. Mustard or sesame may also be present in the bread or added fillings.