a case for the lowly tuna melt

Okay, now why would I post about the lowly tuna melt? Everyone probably has their own twist and probably has been making theirs the same way since forever. Me, I only started eating tuna after 10 years of being a vegetarian. I'm kind of a tuna-newbie, but I've taken to it like honey. It was actually an old boyfriend who turned me onto tuna melts. We broke up but the tuna melt remains my constant lunch time/lazy dinner time/snack time stand by. I love the tang of the pickles, I love the melty cheese and I like that I can eat it out of one hand, so it's the perfect working on the computer and eating lunch at the same time kind of meal. I love me my tuna melt!


Now there is nothing fancy here and while I have been known to doctor up the melt with capers, red onions, parmesan and fresh dill on occassion, I like to keep things simple. Onion for flavour, celery for crunch, and definitely, definitely, pickles. The amount of mayo is really up to you, but I like to keep things light. My choice of bread is always a pita, but I know Cornelius favours a Portugese roll. The recipe below uses things like tablespoons and teaspoons, but I just eyeball it. Below is just my best guess, so taste and adjust to whatever suits you best. If you don't want to go through the trouble of making a melt, just eat it inbetween 2 slices of bread and call it a sandwich. It's good that way too.


simple tuna melt
1 can of tuna, drained
2 T mayo
1 stalk celery, diced
1/2 onion, diced
1 large dill pickle, diced
1 - 2 t dill pickle juice
1/4 c grated old cheddar + extra for topping
pepper
2 large pitas

Preheat oven to 400. In your cutest vintage pyrex bowl (I like my teal butterprint bowl), mix up the above ingredients. Spread the mixture over the 2 pita breads and then sprinkle some extra cheese over top so it can get all melty. Place on cookie sheet and bake until cheese is melty and golden, about 10 minutes. I like to zap it under the broiler so the tops get extra golden - but watch out, it burns easily!