The Cheesy Way To Make A Tomato Sandwich So Much Better

Tomato is among our favorite seasons, that precious time when the juicy red fruit is at its peak for bruschetta, Caprese salads, or joined by a bit of mayo for the best tomato sandwich of your life. A vine-fresh beauty is just terrific when virtually unadorned, but we do love to make it just a little more savory, careening into the comfort food lane, every now and then as well. A bit of cheese and a turn under the broiler transforms the vibrant combination of tomato and bread into a cozier, heartier dish.

All the possible combinations of bread and cheese that one could choose to accompany tomato slices are so infinite that it would be goofy to try to detail each one here. But something like sourdough and sharp cheddar would combine nicely in this case, as would a more assertive rye with a mild Swiss. Parmesan's higher melting point would result in a different, more brittle texture that's still delicious, and a soft goat cheese might send you into decadent knife and fork territory. It's all even more customizable once you get some condiments in the mix.

To be clear, we aren't just making broiler grilled cheese and tomato sandwiches, which are also great, but have a totally different finish. A grilled cheese obviously encases the dairy to render it smooth, creamy, and inimitably melty. Open-face preparation, instead, gets the fire a little closer to the cheese for just a bit of browning, bubbling, and a bit more of a textural bite. The bread base, sliced and seeded, patted dry tomato layer, and cheese crown are all you really need for a tasty, toasty bite. You should check the cheese for doneness after about two minutes, but it will probably take a little longer to heat through.

Oil from the cheese will typically seep down enough that something like a swirl of extra virgin olive oil becomes more of a flavor component than a cooking aid, but the good stuff can have a tremendous effect in the former regard. Likewise, any pesto you have kicking around the refrigerator (make your pesto even better with infused oil), or some fresh basil, will go far. Spreads should go on the bread, and herbs and spices should go on top, including a good shake of red pepper flakes for an extra kick.