Toast can be crispier and tastier without a toaster if you use a better ingredient instead
Toast is one of the simplest breakfasts to make, as popping a slice of bread into a toaster provides a quick yet satisfying meal. However, toast can be quite bland on its own, and slathering it with butter often leaves you with a soggy centre and a dry crust that is boring to eat.
If you want toast that is crispy, glistening, and beautifully golden like something from a movie breakfast scene, try making it with olive oil instead. Olive oil helps the bread cook evenly, creating a uniform golden crust rather than the patchy, charred texture that can result from using a toaster. Toast is my favourite comfort food, no matter how it is made, but if you want a richer flavour and the perfect crunch, it is worth trying a different approach.
Toasters are faster and more convenient, so they are better if you are looking for an everyday breakfast that can be made as quickly as possible.
However, making toast in a pan with a little olive oil gives a better texture, as the bread cooks evenly and becomes perfectly crisp.
A toaster uses dry heat, which quickly browns the outside of the bread but can sometimes make the texture uneven, dry, chewy, or even burnt.
Cooking toast with olive oil helps it brown more evenly, while also making it richer and adding a slightly nutty flavour.
I love making more elaborate toast when I want a quick dinner with baked beans and cheese, but it is also great in the morning if you simply want to make your breakfast tastier with just a few extra minutes of effort.
You will need:
- Two slices of bread
- One tablespoon of olive oil
- Pinch of salt
Method:
All you have to do is place a frying pan over a medium heat and allow it to warm up for about a minute.
Add the olive oil to the pan and swirl it around so that it evenly coats the surface.
Lay the bread in the pan and cook for about two minutes, or until it becomes golden brown. To make the bread crunchier, gently press it into the pan with a spatula as it cooks.
Flip the bread and cook it for another two minutes on the other side until perfectly golden.
Place the toast on a plate and it will be crispy on the outside, tender in the middle, and have an even richer flavour than toast made in a toaster.
If you want to make the toast even more flavourful, rub it with a raw garlic clove to create a quick and easy garlic bread.
I also like to sprinkle grated cheese over the toast while it is still warm for a simple but tasty meal.
However, if you are making breakfast, this type of toast is perfect topped with sliced tomatoes, a fried egg, or even avocado, so you can start your morning with a truly delicious meal.