Canned sardines on toast is one of my favorite “I have nothing in the house for dinner” dinners. Although the dish couldn’t be any simpler, there are a few details that will make it truly shine. The toast needs to be hot when you rub it with the garlic, the oil needs to be lush and herbal, and the onion should be crisp and juicy. This sardine toast also has the guts of a ripe tomato rubbed into the bread, kind of like a Catalan pan con tomate (tomato bread with olive oil and salt), which adds a wonderful sweetness to the fish. If you can’t get a perfectly ripe tomato that’s about to burst, just skip it entirely. It’s nice to have but not essential. Just make sure to splurge on really good canned sardines—their quality makes all the difference.

When I eat this by myself, I usually devour it leaning over my counter within seconds of assembling it, while the toast is at its crunchiest before the olive oil has a chance to soak in. The walk to the table can seem so long when there’s hot sardine toast within reach, though it’s good a few minutes later, too.