Toast is not there, comrades (6,7)
I believe the answer is:
absent friends
'toast' is the definition.
I don't know anything about this answer so I cannot judge whether it can be defined by this definition.
'not there comrades' is the wordplay.
'not there' becomes 'absent' (I've seen this in another clue).
'comrades' becomes 'friends' (I've seen this before).
'absent'+'friends'='ABSENT-FRIENDS'
'is' acts as a link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Another definition for absent friends that I've seen is " Those honoured in a toast".)