Grilled Tomato Mozzarella Basil & Pesto

Fancy Grilled Cheese

I was feeling inventive yesterday when deciding what to make for dinner.  And I suggested a grilled tomato, mozzarella, basil, pesto sandwich.  We both agreed it sounded delicious so I went to town and made it up as I went along.  Here is how it went!

Grilled Tomato Mozzarella Basil & Pesto 

7/16/2012

Pesto Ingredients

1/3c finely chopped basil leaves

1tbsp. Parmesan cheese

3 finely chopped garlic cloves 

1/2c olive oil (you probably won't use it all)

Ingredients

4 pieces of whole grain bread

butter

pesto

4-6 slices of fresh mozzarella (slice it thin so it melts quicker)

4 cherry tomatoes, halved

4 basil leaves

Pesto Instructions

• Place all of the dry ingredients into a medium bowl
• Slowly add oil and mix with a hand mixer (I do not have a food processor if you do use that)
• Add oil and mix until the texture is what you'd like it to be and voila!

Sandwich Instructions

• Take 4 slices of bread and spread butter on one side of each (think grilled cheese)
• Place 2 slices face down on frying pan over medium heat
• Spread pesto to your liking on non buttered sides
• Place 2-3 slices of mozzarella on each slice of bread on top of pesto (this depends on how you sliced it)
• Place halved cherry tomatoes on top of cheese
• Next, add 2 basil leaves to each half
• Top each half with other slice of bread buttered side out
• Using spatula flatten sandwich  
• Flip occasionally until both sides of each sandwich looked grilled and cheese has melted

Tip

I suggest you try toasting the bread lightly before beginning sandwich instructions to give it a crunchier texture

ENJOY!

-A