How to make the When Harry Met Sally pastrami sandwich

Aside from providing us with the apparently true fact that men and women can never just be friends, seminal 80s comedy When Harry Met Sally also pushed iconic New York deli Katz's to the very top of our must-visit list.

Billy Crystal's dream-haunting pastrami sandwich made the ensuing faux orgasm from Meg Ryan seem as if it might have stemmed from a quick bite of his sarnie.

Since nipping over to the Lower East Side for lunch might be a slight impossibility, we spoke to Dave Watts, head chef at The Cotswold House Hotel, who gave us his tips on how to recreate it in your own kitchen. With probably less sexual tension.

Makes 1 great sandwich

Preparation time: 3-6 minutes (depending upon how laid back and leisurely your feeling)

Equipment

Char griddle pan

Bread knife

Chopping board

Ingredients

1 x spelt/rye bread loaf

A drizzle of Cotswold gold rapeseed oil/olive oil

1 x Small garlic clove (peeled and cut in half)

150g Quality smoked thinly sliced pastrami

1teaspoon mayonnaise

1teaspoon Dijon mustard

1teaspoon wholegrain mustard

2 x mini pickled cucumbers/ gherkins (sliced lengthways into 4)

Method

Pre-heat the griddle pan. Slice the bread as thick or as thin as you like, (I like to slice mine as thick as my little finger). Drizzle with a little oil and place into the griddle pan allowing it to get nice and toasted with lovely charred bar marks.

When you are happy with the bread, remove from the pan and rub the charred side with the garlic, have as little or as much as you fancy.

Next combine the mayonnaise and mustards spread this mixture onto both of the slices of bread, then arrange your pickled cucumbers and then the thinly sliced pastrami followed by the other slice of bread.

Now sit down and enjoy a great tasting classic New Yorker style sandwich... satisfaction guaranteed.

Dave Watts is head chef at the Cotswold House Hotel. Rooms start from just £120 per person, with main courses at The Cotswold Grill ranging from £9.50 to £23.00. The Dining Room (fine dining restaurant) reopened in May. For further information, hotel and restaurant reservations, visit www.cotswoldhouse.com or call 01386 840330.

(Images: All Star, YouTube)