Michela Chiappa's top five toast toppers
Breakfast, lunch or even a quick snack, it's no secret we all love a slice of toast! But if you're guilty of falling for the same old spread then Michela's here to transform your toast with her top five toppers. From peanut satay to hot honey and ricotta, her recipes are the best thing since sliced bread!
Pizza rarebit
Serves: 4
Ingredients
For the passata:400g tin chopped tomatoes1 tsp dried oreganoDash of extra virgin olive oil1 tbsp tomato puree 1 small red onion, finely slicedSunflower oil and water4 slices of toastThin slices of mozzarella cheese (I use the large blocks of hard mozzarella) Slices of chorizoWorcestershire sauceExtra virgin olive oil
Method
1. To make the passata, blend the tinned tomatoes with the dried oregano, extra virgin olive oil, and tomato puree and season with salt.
2. Place the sliced red onion in a bowl with some sunflower oil, water and salt then leave to sit for 10 minutes - squeeze with your hands to help the marinade.
3. Place a piece of toast on a lined baking tray and add slices of mozzarella to it and sprinkle some flaked salt on top.
4. Top this with another piece of toast, then press down the central part of the toast with the back of a spoon to create an internal rectangle with a border.
5. Spoon a small amount of passata into the rectangle and spread it to the edges. Add more slices of mozzarella and top with your toppings of choice (I recommend onions and chorizo).
6. Place under a medium grill until the cheese is melted. Sprinkle with a few dashes of Worcestershire sauce and extra virgin olive oil to serve.
Hot bruschetta with roasted garlic, hot cherry tomatoes and thyme
Serves: 4
Ingredients
1 large bulb of garlic, top sliced offExtra virgin olive oil1 punnet of cherry tomatoes on the vineFlaked saltFresh thyme4 slices of toast
Method
1. In a roasting tray or dish, drizzle a generous amount of oil over the garlic bulb and roast on a medium temperature for about 10 minutes.
2. Add the vine cherry tomatoes and sprinkle them with a generous amount of flaked salt and fresh thyme. Roast on a medium to high heat for a further 10 minutes, until they are both soft.
3. Drizzle the toast with olive oil and a sprinkle of salt, squeeze on the garlic for the bulb then spread over the bread and top with smashed tomatoes. Choose if you want more garlic or tomatoes - simple!
Smashed avocado with lime, poached egg and chimichurri sauce
Serves: 4
Ingredients
For the Chimichurri sauce:2 garlic cloves1 small sweet red onion1 green chilli, deseededLarge bunch corianderSmall bunch flat leaf parsley6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil2 tbsp white wine vinegar4 pieces of toast 1 avocado1-2 limesChilli flakes (optional)1-2 poached eggsFresh coriander (optional)Olive oilFlaked salt
Method
1. To make the chimichurri sauce, first blend the garlic, onions, chilli and herbs on a high speed to get a fine mix, then add the remaining wet ingredients and blitz to a paste.
2. Smash some avocado with a squeeze of lime, chilli flakes (optional) and a generous pinch of flaked salt then spread it on your toast.
3. Top with a poached egg and a generous drizzle of Chimichurri sauce. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves, olive oil and an extra squeeze of lime.
Whipped honey, lemon ricotta crunch
Serves: 4
Ingredients
4 slices of toasted bread / sourdough1 tub ricotta2 tbsp whipped honey1 lemon2 tbsp toasted pine nuts
Method
1. To whip the honey, pour half a jar of honey into a mixer and whisk it for about 20 minutes on a medium setting - it should have a frothy and airy texture. Put it back in the jar and you now have whipped honey - this doubles your volume!
2. Pour a tub of ricotta back into the mixer and whisk it with 2 tbsp of whipped honey and the zest plus a squeeze of lemon juice (save some zest for decoration too).
3. Spread it on toast and enjoy – you can decorate the top with zest stripes and toasted pine nuts.
Peanut loaded toast
Serves: 4
Ingredients
4 pieces of toastPeanut butter (or any nut butter)Salted peanutsSliced strawberriesSliced bananaRaspberriesPumpkin seedsSunflower seedsChia seeds Honey or maple syrup
Method
1. Spread the toast with peanut butter and sprinkle over salted peanuts for extra crunch.
2. Arrange rows of strawberries, banana and raspberries and alternate to the end. Sprinkle with pumpkin, sunflower and chia seeds and drizzle with honey or maple syrup to finish - the options are endless!