Grilled Caprese Sandwiches

This is not my first blog post.


That statement is both true and untrue. But mostly true. The first blog post I ever wrote, the first of many, many blog posts that would follow, was for the Internet marketing company I worked for the summer before my senior year of college. 

 

Ironically enough, the topic I was instructed by my boss to write on that first day was “How to Create an Effective Blog.”

I’m not sure about you, but personally, I know I want my advice on blogging to come from a girl who's never blogged before and whose sole authority on the subject comes from a brief Google search on “how to blog” and years of experience bluffing her way through essays on books she’d read only halfway through, at best.

I only accept (and give) the soundest advice. Clearly. 

Yet somehow, despite the many blog posts that followed that summer, this still feels like the first time. Maybe it’s the fact that this is a bit more personal than those first posts on “How to Use Pay Per Click Advertising for your Small Business” and a smidge closer to my heart—although just barely—than my posts on “Optimizing your Website for Google’s Newest Search Algorithm.”

But, sarcasm aside, this really is something close to my heart. Here's the thing: I love food. Okay so that’s not very unique, lots of people love food, I know, I know. And if you don't, then you—wait seriously?

I’ll elaborate. I love food. I love food. The kind of love that would make a thirteen-year-old girl’s love for Justin Bieber jealous, the kind of love that could shout "Stellllllaaaa" far louder than Marlon Brando ever could, the kind that makes even Celine Dion songs seem inadequate. I love cooking food. I love talking about food—especially while eating food. I think the smell of sautéing onions might possibly be my favorite smell in the world, second best only to the smell of sunscreen and ocean mist in the middle of summer. I love the feel of kneading dough between my fingers and the way a freshly ripened cherry tomato bursts in your mouth when you eat it whole. 

I also love holding my iPhone above flaming barbeque grills, raw fish, pots of boiling water, and unnecessarily sticky cake batter. I live on the edge—and to make Steve Jobs roll over in his grave, clearly. Oh by the way: sorry, dad.

So I figured, if one day my iPhone ends up drowning in a balsamic vinaigrette, maybe I should do something to make it a little more worthwhile. Why not share a little of what I love with the people I love?   

This recipe is simple, but delicious.

Grilled Caprese Sandwiches

Serves 4

8 slices good bread—a crusty loaf of Italian that you can slice thickly is ideal

1-2 tablespoons olive oil

4 tablespoons pesto

6-8 oz fresh mozzarella, sliced

2 large roma tomatoes, sliced about ¼ inch thick

16-20 basil leaves

salt and pepper

Preheat the grill to a medium fire. Brush the outside of all 8 slices of bread with olive oil. Next, spread 1 tablespoon of pesto onto the inside of 4 of the slices of bread. Layer on sliced tomato and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Top with 1-2 ounces sliced mozzarella and 4-5 basil leaves each. Close sandwiches.

Place sandwiches on the grill and cook until the cheese begins to melt and both sides are golden brown, about 5 minutes per side. Watch closely to prevent burning. Serve immediately.