Caprese Grilled Sandwich
Recipe: #2534
November 14, 2011
Categories: Cheese, Tomato, Italian, Brunch, Game/Sports Day, July 4th, Sandwich Press, more
"Absolutely the best sandwich. The key to this - is fresh ingredients. Spend the extra to get fresh heirloom tomatoes, fresh mozzarella and if possible, make your own basil. This really is what sets this sandwich apart."
Ingredients
Nutritional
- Serving Size: 1 (180.7 g)
- Calories 697.8
- Total Fat - 49.4 g
- Saturated Fat - 11.9 g
- Cholesterol - 34.9 mg
- Sodium - 706.6 mg
- Total Carbohydrate - 44.6 g
- Dietary Fiber - 2.2 g
- Sugars - 5.2 g
- Protein - 21 g
- Calcium - 362.9 mg
- Iron - 3.9 mg
- Vitamin C - 5 mg
- Thiamin - 0.3 mg
Step by Step Method
Step 1
Basil Pesto ... (1) Pine Nuts: Toast the pine nuts in a dry saute pan on medium high heat for 1-2 minutes until lightly toasted. Don't let them burn. (2) Pesto: Add the basil, pine nuts, cheese, garlic and olive oil to the food processor and pulse until rough chopped. Add, a pinch of salt, pepper and lemon juice and pulse again, taste and season again if needed. Set to the side until ready to use.
Step 2
Sandwich ... On the bottom slice, spread a thin layer of pesto, then the tomato (drizzle with a little balsamic vinegar and season with pepper), cheese, and then the final slice of bread also with spread with pesto.
Step 3
Grill ... A grill pan, or even a saute pan will work. Bring the pan to medium heat - you don't want the heat too high or the outside will be done, but the cheese won't be melted. Then, brush the top of the sandwich with a little oil oil and place that side down on the grill. Next, brush the top slice of bread with the remaining olive oil. During cooking, I prefer to weigh mine down lightly with another heavy pan so the sandwich flattens out a bit.
Step 4
Serve ... Make sure it rests a couple of minutes because the cheese will be very gooey and hot, just a minute or so. Then slice and serve with a good bowl of soup for the perfect lunch or dinner. ENJOY!
Tips
No special items needed.