Toast Hawaii
Ham, pineapple and cheese toast
Toast Hawaii: the German grilled toast with ham, pineapple and melted cheese
Toast Hawaii arrived in West German kitchens in the 1950s and never left: a slice of buttered toast layered with cooked ham (pork), a ring of pineapple and a slice of cheese, baked until the cheese melts down over the sides. It is still a nostalgic Saturday supper or party snack from Hamburg to Munich, often crowned with a cocktail cherry in the pineapple's hole. The mistake that ruins it is using pineapple straight from the tin, whose juice soaks the bread; drain the rings well and pat them dry. Chef's tip: toast the bread lightly before topping it, so the base stays crisp under the juicy layers.
- Total time
- 15 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 4 slices white sandwich bread
- ⅔ oz buttersoft
- 4 slices cooked hamabout 120 g
- 4 tinned pineapple ringsdrained and patted dry
- 4 slices Gouda or Emmentalabout 100 g
- 1 pinch sweet paprika (optional)
- 4 cocktail cherries (optional)
Shop this recipe on Amazon
What you'll need
Spices & pantry
Fresh ingredients (1)
Links open Amazon in a new tab. As an Amazon Associate, WhatToEat.Today earns from qualifying purchases.
Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Heat the oven to 425°F (400°F fan) or the grill to high, and line a baking tray with baking paper.
1 minStep 2: Toast 4 slices white sandwich bread until pale golden, then spread one side with ⅔ oz butter.
3 minStep 3: Lay the toast on the tray, buttered side up. Top each with a slice of 4 slices cooked ham, a ring of 4 tinned pineapple rings and a slice of 4 slices Gouda or Emmental, pressing it down so it drapes over the edges.
1 minStep 4: Bake for 6–8 minutes, until the cheese is melted, bubbling and flecked with gold.
7 minStep 5: Dust with 1 pinch sweet paprika, put a cherry from 4 cocktail cherries in each pineapple hole if you like, and serve hot.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 300 kcal
- Protein
- 15 g
- Carbs
- 26 g
- Fat
- 15 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does toast Hawaii take?
- About 15 minutes in total: 5 minutes to prepare and 10 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- What can I use instead of butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to cook it.
Rate this recipe
Sign in to rate and review this recipe.
You might also like
SakarpadaSweet fried dough diamonds
Sakarpada (shakarpara) are little sweet diamonds of a rich dough made with ghee, milk and sugar, fried until golden and crunchy. They are a Diwali favourite with tea, and the cubes go into bhusu too. They keep for weeks in an air-tight tin.
Indian
Yaki onigiriGrilled rice balls
Yaki onigiri (焼きおにぎり) are rice balls grilled until they form a crisp, toasty crust, then brushed with soy sauce glaze. They are eaten all over Japan, at izakaya, at barbecues and from the freezer section, as a snack or with miso soup. The inside stays soft and steamy while the outside crackles. Best eaten hot, straight from the pan. Chef's tip: let the shaped rice balls dry for 10 minutes before they go in the pan. A drier surface forms a better crust and won't stick, and the glaze goes on only at the end so it doesn't burn.
Japanese
Taiwanese grilled corn
At Raohe and Shilin night markets the grilled-corn stalls are easy to find: look for the queue and the smoky, sweet smell. Cobs are par-cooked, then turned slowly over charcoal while the cook brushes them with a dark glaze of sacha sauce, thick soy paste, garlic and chilli, layer after layer, until the kernels are sticky, slightly charred and deeply savoury. It is eaten hot from a paper sleeve while walking the market. Sacha (shacha) sauce, a Taiwanese barbecue paste, usually contains dried fish and shrimp; vegetarian sacha is sold in Asian shops. Contains soy, wheat and fish. Chef's tip: brush thin coats and turn often; one thick coat burns before the corn chars.
TaiwanesePerfect for:Party & potluck