Six delicious dishes you never knew you could make in a sandwich press

Move over air fryer, the sandwich press might just be the ultimate weeknight saviour. It is the best shortcut − a way of cooking things without turning on the oven, the stove, the dishwasher or your brain. This hot-hinged confidence booster is a low-effort, high-reward appliance that asks very little of us and yet delivers crisp edges and a sense of mealtime purpose in return. It presses, it cooks, it gives.

I’m not suggesting you ruin a good steak on it Barnaby Joyce and Pauline Hanson style, but here are some of the ways I am using the sandwich press for everything but sandwiches*.

Wonton waffles

Brush the plates lightly with oil. Lay overlapping wonton wrappers across the press, letting them ripple and fold naturally. Add a spoonful of filling if you like − prawn, pork, mushroom, spiced mince, even spring onion and a smattering of herbs such as coriander − then cover with more wrappers. Allow a generous amount of space between the filling, if using, and edge of your wonton waffle − when compressed, it tends to spread. Close the lid gently and let the press crimp and crisp the wrappers into a golden, lacy waffle situation.

The result is crunchy, bubbly and wildly addictive. Break into shards and serve with chilli oil, soy, hoisin, or a fried egg if you’re steering it towards dinner.

Crispy rice paper rolls

Yes, your sandwich press is coming into its own. Let her. Rice paper turns glassy, crackly and absurdly crisp without an oil vat or the potential medical emergencies of deep-frying.

Fill softened rice paper with your usual suspects − finely chopped cold cooked noodles, maybe some leftover mince, shredded chicken and chopped vegetables. Roll them tightly, but not so aggressively you tear the rice paper, and brush lightly with oil. Lay them in the press, close gently and let them transform into something that belongs in a restaurant. They will emerge golden, blistered and deeply snackable. Dip aggressively − nuoc cham is a personal favourite.

Crispy gnocchi

Cold leftover gnocchi is superb – a great fridge find when hunger calls. Pressed gnocchi is better. Toss it in oil or butter, spread it out, top with a smattering of grated parmesan. Squash gently, and wait for the crunch.

I like to crisp it into submission then top with a tearing of burrata, some jamon and a dollop of pesto. Serve with a glass of wine for the greatest hack meal of all time.

No gnocchi? No problems. Sub the gnocchi for tatertots for a hash brown persuasion of the same vein. You’re welcome.

Viral doner kebab on the press

Yes, that weirdly delicious-looking recipe doing the rounds on social media can in fact be done on your press in less time with less fuss and no need to wait for an oven to pre-heat.

Combine half-and-half beef and lamb mince in a bowl with a dollop of Greek yoghurt, tomato paste, some grated onion and a sprinkling of Greek seasoning mix (or a combo of cumin, coriander, paprika, parsley, pinch of chilli flakes).

Add some of the mixture to a sheet of baking paper, top with another sheet and roll out to about 1-2mm thick; you want to aim for it to sit inside the perimeter of your sandwich press. Remove the top sheet and repeat with remaining meat mixture and sheets of baking paper.

Slide the mince-topped baking paper onto the press, without overcrowding it, and cook until the meat is cooked through and crisp – between 5 and 15 minutes, but check carefully as the timing will depend on how thinly you rolled the mixture initially. Allow to cool before slicing. You can make this ahead and stash in the fridge, ready for doner urges all week long.

Crispy canele smash

Think waffles, but elevated. And French. In my humble opinion, the canele is the world’s greatest pastry cabinet feat with its crisp edges, soft centres and the smoky background hit of rum and vanilla. I have been known to purchase more than needed, leaving me with frozen or old fridge stashes that need a second life.

Roughly chop three to four caneles. Press in a mound on the surface of the sandwich press. Sprinkle over just a touch of sugar. Cook for a few minutes until golden and crisp. Transfer to a plate and hit it with ice-cream and even some old-school caramel sauce if you dare. Absolute dessert perfection.

Chip butty

*Yes, this is a sandwich and yes, I waxed lyrical about not using your press for sandwiches, but this is a one-two punch.

Frozen chips are brought to crispy life when spread across the press and given a hit of heat – about 10 minutes.

Remove the chips. Butter some white bread generously, then add a generous amount of chips. Drizzle over some gravy. How you source gravy is up to you, but you want the chips to experience a rain shower, not a bath. Top with more buttered white bread.

Press down on the sandwich press and let it become audaciously golden. Eat piping hot with the threat of a gravy spill adding suspense, and the knowledge that first world problems really can be solved by eating after all.