Description

In just minutes, you can turn your boring grilled cheese a gourmet sandwich with fresh mozzarella cheese, tomatoes, and fresh basil on toasted sourdough or other rustic white bread.

Ingredients

• 2 slices fresh sourdough or rustic white bread
• 3 oz. fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced into rounds (or grated)
• 4 - 6 Roma tomato slices
• 1 T. chopped, fresh basil ribbons or whole basil leaves
• freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 t. extra virgin olive oil or 1 T. butter
• 1/2 clove of garlic, for rubbing on bread

Steps

1. Layer mozzarella rounds in an even layer over 1 slice of bread followed by an even layer of sliced tomatoes. Add basil ribbons over the top; season with pepper; cover with a second slice of bread.
2. Drizzle 1 t. olive oil in a non-stick skillet; heat over medium-low heat, tilting back and forth to evenly coat. Heat the oil long enough for it to glide easily across the skillet but not to the smoking point before adding the sandwich or the bread will toast before the cheese melts.
3. If using butter, spread 1/2 T. butter on both top and bottom of the sandwich; heat skillet over medium heat; add sandwich; cover with a lid; cook until sandwich is golden brown on bottom, about 2 minutes. Lift sandwich from skillet; drizzle remaining 1 t. olive oil into skillet, tilt pan back and forth to evenly coat.