Caprese grilled cheese toastie
20 MINUTES | SERVES 2 | EASY
butter 4 tbsp, softened
sourdough 4 slices
vine tomato 1 large ripe, at room temperature, sliced
mozzarella 1 ball, drained and torn
PESTO pine nuts, pistachios, hazelnuts or brazil nuts 50g rocket, spinach or a mixture of salad leaves 50g basil, chives or flat-leaf parsley 20g parmesan, pecorino or grana padano 50g, grated garlic 1 clove, crushed
olive oil 100ml
lemon 1/2, juiced
1 To make the pesto, toast the nuts in a small frying pan for
2-3 minutes or until lightly golden and smelling toasted. Tip onto a plate and leave to cool for a minute. Transfer to a food processor with the salad leaves, herbs, cheese, garlic and oil. Pulse a few times to combine. Scrape down the sides, then blend until you get a chunky pesto, or keep blending if you prefer a smoother pesto. Season well, adding enough lemon juice to balance any bitterness from the salad leaves. The pesto will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for four to five days.
2 Spread 1 tbsp of butter over two slices of bread and put them butter-side down in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until golden brown and crisp, pressing down with a spatula. Repeat with the remaining two slices of bread, so all four slices are toasted on one side.
3 Put all four slices of bread, toasted-side up, on a board, keeping the pan on the heat. Spread some pesto over each piece (you won’t need it all). Add the tomato slices and torn mozzarella to two pieces, season with a sprinkling of flaky sea salt and black pepper, then top with the remaining slices of bread, pesto-side inwards. Butter one side of both the sandwiches.
4 Transfer the sandwiches, butter-side down, to the hot pan and fry, pressing down to hold everything together, for 3-5 minutes or until golden and crisp. Butter the top sides, then flip and cook until crisp on the outside, and the mozzarella is gooey and melted on the inside. Serve with more pesto for dunking.
PER SERVING 948 kcals | fat 57.7G | saturates 29.2G | carbs 72.1G sugars 6.8G | fibre 4.7G | protein 32.5G | salt 3.5G
Omagazine.com
• Make use of unloved salad and veg with our clever leftover ideas at Omagazine.com