Your choice of cheese is crucial for this recipe. Go with manchego, Gouda or Gruyere and turn an average cheese toastie into something special.

You had us at bacon toastie! This is an edited recipe from Chefs Eat Toasties Too by Darren Purchese (Hardie Grant, RRP $29.99). Available in stores nationally now.

Just when you thought you didn’t need another reason to make a cheese toastie, Billie McKay goes and raises the bar.

OMG (oh my gorgonzola), this is tasty. You've never had a toastie like this before. This is an edited recipe from Chefs Eat Toasties Too by Darren Purchese (Hardie Grant, RRP $29.99). Available in stores nationally now.

Fill these yummy sandwiches with whatever feels right – prosciutto, grilled eggplant and mozzarella, or smoked salmon, rocket and melting Gruyère. If you don’t feel like firing up the grill, they cook well in a dry frypan.

The cheese toastie comes in many forms, from the French pan-fried cheese and ham sandwich known as the croque monsieur to the venerable English cheese and onion toasted sandwich, which is perfect served alongside a packet of cheese ’n’ onion chips and a pint of lager. It is in the Welsh kitchen, though, that it finds its apotheosis, with the beer added to the cheese. Genius!

The classic cheese and ham sandwich with a twist.

Say cheese with this delicious toasted sandwich recipe inspired by none other than Harry's Bar in Venice.

Give the humble cheese toastie a gourmet make-over with the addition of bocconcini and vine-ripened tomatoes.