Cottage Sandwich

Ingredients

• 4 slices brown bread (Do not remove the crusts. Cut into even slices of similar thickness.)
• 0.5 pint (approximately 225g / 1 cup) cottage cheese (Use full-fat cottage cheese for the richest result.)
• 2 tablespoons butter (Melt gently until just liquid and allow to cool slightly before using.)
• 0.5 teaspoon salt (Fine table salt works best for even distribution.)
• 2 tablespoons thick cream (Use double cream or heavy cream for the closest match to the original 'thick cream'.)
• 2 thin slices white bread (Cut as thinly as possible for a delicate layered effect.)
• 1 whole olive (Used as a garnish. Any variety works — green or black.)

Instructions

1. 1Cut 4 even slices from your brown bread loaf. Do not remove the crusts — they are kept on in this recipe. Set the slices aside on a clean board or plate ready for assembly.
2. 2Place the half pint (approximately 225g / 1 cup) of cottage cheese into a bowl. Using the back of a spoon or a fork, mash and rub it vigorously until it forms a smooth paste — this takes about 2–3 minutes of firm rubbing. Then press the smoothed cheese through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl. Use the back of a spoon to push it through, working in small amounts. This removes any lumps and gives you a silky, spreadable base.
3. 3With the sieved cottage cheese in your bowl, slowly drizzle in the 2 tablespoons of melted (and slightly cooled) butter, beating constantly with a spoon or whisk as you add it. Do not rush — adding it slowly while beating ensures it incorporates smoothly rather than separating. Once the butter is fully combined, add the half teaspoon of salt and mix well. Finally, add the 2 tablespoons of thick cream and beat again until the mixture is smooth, rich, and spreadable.
4. 4Take your slices of brown bread and spread each one generously with the cottage cheese mixture. Use the back of a spoon or a butter knife to spread it evenly all the way to the edges, covering the full surface of each slice.
5. 5Take a thin slice of white bread and lay it on top of one of the cheese-spread brown bread slices. Then spread a thin, even layer of the cottage cheese mixture directly on top of the white bread. This creates the layered effect: brown bread with cheese, then white bread, then another thin coating of cheese on top of the white bread.
6. 6Place a final slice of brown bread on top of the layered stack to complete the sandwich. Press down gently to hold the layers together. Using a sharp knife, trim the sandwich into a neat shape — traditionally a square or rectangle, or you may cut it into triangles or fingers as preferred. Repeat with any remaining slices to build additional sandwiches.
7. 7Place the finished sandwich on a plate and garnish with one olive on top or alongside the sandwich. The olive adds a savoury, briny contrast to the creamy cheese filling. Serve immediately for the freshest flavour.