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Warm up with toasted sandwiches!
When the chill sets in and your hands are too cold to type (let alone cook a whole meal), nothing hits the spot like a golden, melty toasted sandwich — especially one that feels just a little bit fancy. Welcome to the first post in our Winter Warmers series — your new go-to for cosy, crave-worthy meals that make chilly days infinitely better.
In this first edition, we bring you toasted sandwiches that are fun, semi-gourmet and deliver big flavour with minimal fuss. Picture: oven-roasted broccoli tangled with sharp cheddar and tomato chutney, poached chicken and gooey brie with cranberry sauce, and a parmesan-crusted pesto bagel with a jammy egg baked right in. Whether you're after a couch-friendly dinner or an easy brunch that feels special, these toasties bring the heat (literally). Stay tuned for more Winter Warmers coming soon!
Roasted Broccoli and Sharp Cheddar
makes 4
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1 large broccoli
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2 tsp Italian herbs
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150g vintage or sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 loaf wholemeal rye bread
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Tomato chutney (to taste)
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Butter (for toasting)
- Preheat your oven to 220°C. Chop broccoli into small, bite-sized pieces (you want them small enough to sit comfortably inside a sandwich). Toss on a lined oven tray with oil, Italian herbs, salt and pepper. Roast for 10–15 minutes, or until the broccoli is golden and slightly charred on the edges.
- While broccoli roasts, grate the cheese and slice the bread.
- Lightly butter one side of each slice of bread.
- Place 4 slices of bread butter-side down. Spread a spoonful of tomato chutney on the unbuttered side, add roasted broccoli and grated cheese. Top with a second slice of bread, butter-side up.
- Heat a large frypan over medium-high heat with a small amount of oil. Add sandwiches to the pan and cook for 3-5 minutes each side (flip earlier if sandwiches are beginning to burn) until bread is toasted and cheese has melted.
- Halve sandwiches and serve immediately.
- When cutting broccoli, remember that you want the pieces to be small enough to enjoyably eat in a sandwich.
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Try adding a little Dijon mustard for extra zing.
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This is a great recipe for using up leftover roasted veg — cauliflower or roasted pumpkin would also be delicious. You can also add baby spinach to add extra greens!
Want to make this at home? We used Brownes Vintage Aged Cheddar, Abhi's Rye Wholemeal Loaf, and L'atelier Gourmet Foods Spiced Tomato Chutney from the Dinner Twist Marketplace.
Poached Chicken, Brie and Cranberry Sauce
makes 4
- 300g chicken breast
- 1 lemon
- 1 small bunch fresh herbs (we used parsley)
- brie cheese
- cranberry sauce
- 60g baby spinach
- 1 loaf sourdough bread
- Place chicken breast in a saucepan and cover with water. Add fresh herbs, and zest and juice of the lemon (or you can just quarter the lemon and toss it in!). Season well with salt and pepper.
- Bring the pot to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook for 10–15 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
- Slice the brie, cut 8 slices of sourdough and shred or thinly slice cooked chicken. If desired, lightly butter the outside of each bread slice.
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On the unbuttered side of half the bread slices, layer: a smear of cranberry sauce, shredded chicken, a few slices of brie and s handful of spinach leaves.
- Heat a large frypan over medium heat with a small amount of oil. Add sandwiches to the pan and cook for 3-5 minutes each side (flip earlier if sandwiches are beginning to burn) until bread is toasted and cheese has melted.
- Halve sandwiches and serve immediately.
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For a deeper flavour, poach the chicken in chicken stock or broth instead of water. Add onion slices, garlic, bay leaf, peppercorns, or thyme sprigs to the water for an aromatic result.
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Poach extra chicken for easy sandwiches, lunch or dinner options!
- Feeling adventurous? Switch the brie for a soft blue cheese for a bold twist.
- Swap baby spinach for rocket for a peppery bite.
- When cooking the toasties, keep the heat moderate so the brie melts slowly without the bread burning.
Want to make this at home? We used Liberty Free-Range Boneless Chicken Breast Fillets, Abhi's Organic Sour Button Loaf, and Dellendale Creamery Triple Cream Brie from the Dinner Twist Marketplace.
Crispy Parmesan Pesto and Egg Bagel
makes 4
- 2 avocados
- 1 small bunch parsley
- 1 lemon
- 1/4 cup basil pesto
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 4 bagels
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 4 eggs
- Dice avocado and chop parsley. Add to a bowl along with lemon zest, juice from 1/2 lemon (wedge remaining lemon), salt and pepper. Mix to combine and set aside.
- Add pesto to a bowl along with olive oil, and mix well to combine.
- Halve your bagels and check the centre hole — it should be about 3cm wide. If it’s too small, use a small knife and cut some of the bagel away to widen the hole (widening the hole is key so the egg sits neatly and doesn’t spill out).
- Heat a large frypan over medium-high heat with oil.
- Working in batches to suit the size of your pan, sprinkle tablespoonfuls of parmesan cheese directly into the pan, roughly the size of your bagel.
As the cheese melts, spoon 1/2 tablespoonfuls of pesto directly onto the cheese. - For bottom half of bagels, cook for 1/2-1 minute further until cheese is crispy. Remove from pan.
- For top halves of bagels, crack an egg into the centre hole. Cover pan and cook for 6–8 minutes, or until the egg whites are set and the yolk is still a little runny (or longer if you prefer it firmer).
- To build the bagels, divide bottom halves among plates, add diced avocado and top with egg-filled bagel top halves. Season eggs well with salt and pepper and serve with lemon wedges.
- Use a non-stick pan or well-seasoned cast iron to cook to prevent sticking.
- Switch parmesan cheese for grana padano, pecorino romano, or do a mix of cheddar and parmesan.
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Stir finely chopped red onion, herbs (like dill or chives), or crumbled feta cheese into the avocado mix for extra flavour.
- Add a sprinkle of chilli flakes, za’atar, or dukkah on top of the bagels to serve, and add a splash of hot sauce or pickled red onion for contrast.
Want to make this at home? We used Holy Bagel Co Everything Bagels, Barilla Pesto Genovese and Hass Avocados from the Dinner Twist Marketplace.
