FANCY TUNA MELTS | Imamother

Amarante

Mon, Nov 28 2016, 4:27 pm

Nothing earth shattering but the better ingredients did make for a tasty sandwich.

FANCY TUNA MELTS

Source: Molly Gilbert, Molly - Sheet Pan Suppers

SERVES 4

Tuna melts made “fancy” have become my go-to meal when I’ve pretty much got no time to make dinner but still have an appetite for something warm and luxurious. Small touches like basing the melt on chewy store-bought naan bread, mixing the tuna with crisp apple and briny capers, and topping it all with flavorful braided string cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, and a handful of tender baby greens (I like mâche rosettes) or salt-and-vinegar potato chips turn ho-hum tuna melts into midweek showstoppers.

Naan is a kind of Indian flatbread, similar to pita bread (though a bit softer in texture). I buy it packaged in the bread aisle at Whole Foods, but if you have trouble finding it, go ahead and substitute your favorite pocketless pita or flatbread. As for braided string cheese, which is traditionally Armenian and so very delicious—it can be found in the fancier cheese section at most grocery stores. If you can’t get your hands on any, substitute marinated mozzarella cheese (bocconcini).

4 naan breads (from two 8.8-ounce packages), cut in half widthwise
1 large can (12.8 ounces) chunk light tuna in water, drained
1 large shallot, finely diced
½ cup diced unpeeled apple (I like Pink Lady apples for their crunch)
¼ cup capers, drained, plus 1 tablespoon reserved caper brine
1 heaping tablespoon chopped fresh dill
1½ tablespoons Dijon mustard
¼ cup mayonnaise
5 ounces braided string cheese marinated in oil and herbs, drained if liquid-y
Sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained, for topping (optional)
Mâche rosettes or other baby greens, for topping (optional)
Salt-and-vinegar or other potato chips, for topping (optional)

LET’S COOK:

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F with a rack in the center position. Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper.

2. Arrange 4 naan bread halves on the prepared pan. Mix together the tuna, shallot, apple, capers and caper brine, fresh dill, mustard, and mayonnaise in a medium-size bowl until combined. Evenly distribute the tuna salad, in big, heaping scoops, among the naan breads. Break and pull the string cheese apart and lay the strands evenly over the sandwiches. Arrange the remaining naan halves around the sandwiches.

3. Bake until the tuna salad is warmed through and the cheese is melted, about 10 minutes.

4. Top each open-faced sandwich with sun-dried tomatoes and mâche or with handfuls of potato chips if you like. Press the sandwiches closed with the remaining naan bread halves. Enjoy the tuna melts warm from the oven.