Last call for celebrating National Grilled Cheese Month! I call this an Italian grilled cheese only because it calls for things like pesto, basil, and mozzarella. Really, it’s just a delicious sandwich to eat anytime you can get fresh basil and the ripest tomatoes.
Italian Grilled Cheese
Ingredients
Pesto
1-2 ripe tomatoes
Real Italian mozzarella cheese
1 loaf of bread (something like a salted ciabatta tastes amazing)
Butter (optional)
You can make this one of two ways, depending on the bread you use.
Skillet method
Warm a skillet on your stove to medium heat. Meanwhile cut traditional sandwich bread into thin slices. Butter the outside of each slice. Spread pesto on the inside of each slice. Fill the sandwich with tomato and mozzarella slices. Put the sandwich together and “grill” each buttered side in a skillet.
Oven method (recommended)
Preheat the oven (I usually go for the standard 350-degrees). Starting with a small loaf of bread that already has a nice crust on the outside, slice it lengthwise. Continue as above: Spread pesto on the inside of each slice. Fill the sandwich with tomato and mozzarella slices. Put the sandwich together and place it in the oven to warm, just until the cheese melts.
Enjoy with a side salad and a refreshing glass of wine.
