Tuna melt toast

Ingredients

For the olive salsa and tuna 

• 1 small bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped 
• 3 spring onions, light green and white parts only, finely chopped 
• ¼ cup (35 g) pitted green olives (preferably Lucques), roughly chopped 
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 
• Juice of ½ lemon 
• Kosher (coarse) salt (optional)
• 8 ounces (225 g) oil-packed tinned tuna, drained and flaked 
• 4 marinated artichoke hearts, drained and thinly sliced 
• Heaping ¼ cup (about 35 g) shredded fresh mozzarella cheese (preferably buffalo mozzarella) 
• Scant ¼ cup (25 g) grated mozzarella cheese (not fresh mozzarella) 
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 

For the toast 

• 4 ¾ inch (2 cm) thick slices sourdough bread 
• Pinch of red chilli pepper flakes

Method

I’m always curious about what chefs make in their home kitchens when they’re starving. A bowl of cereal? Scrambled eggs? Doctored ramen? This toast is from Bill Granger, the chef-owner of nearly a dozen restaurants in Australia, Japan, the United Kingdom, South Korea, and Hawaii. He loves the tuna melt toast straight from the oven while the cheese is still lovely and oozy, and says that it’s way better (and faster!) than even dialing for pizza.

1. Make the olive salsa and tuna: In a small bowl, mix together the parsley, spring onions, olives, olive oil, and lemon juice. Taste and season with salt if needed. In a separate bowl, stir together the tuna, artichokes, both mozzarellas and black pepper until everything is evenly mixed.

2. Make the toast: Preheat the grill to high. Arrange the bread on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Toast the bread lightly on both sides, 1–2 minutes per side, until golden brown. Top each toast with the tuna mixture and sprinkle with some red pepper flakes. Grill until the cheese is melted and bubbling on top, 2–3 minutes. Serve hot, topped with the salsa.

Toast The Cookbook by Raquel Pelzel is published by Phaidon at £12.95

Try one of our other tuna recipes, including easy tuna pasta bake and herby pesto, tuna and potato salad, or try one of our other quick and easy toast toppings.