Classic Turkish Toastie

The "tost" — pronounced exactly like the English word — is Turkey's most beloved fast food. It is not Turkish in origin, but Turkey claimed it so completely and for so long that it has become entirely its own. The tost press, or "tost makinesi", is found in every çay ocağı (tea house), every street stall, every petrol station and every student canteen across the country.

The classic version uses "tost ekmeği" — a slightly sweet white bread similar to milk bread — pressed with cheese and sucuk until the bread is golden and the cheese is molten. The pickled cucumber and tomato inside add brightness and cut through the richness. Our version uses Turkish bread instead of sandwich bread, making it more substantial and giving the crust a chewier, more satisfying bite.

The key details: tomato sauce and aioli served alongside (never inside, where they would make the bread soggy), pickled cucumber for the classic Turkish flavour contrast, and enough cheese to form strings when you pull the halves apart. It is the kind of thing you eat at midnight after a long evening and remember for years.