Prosciutto and Pesto Grilled Cheese
Prosciutto and pesto grilled cheese is the perfect sandwich, especially if you need to use up some leftover pesto.
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Prosciutto and pesto grilled cheese, doesn’t that sound heavenly? I have always loved grilled cheese, growing up we would throw in some ham and my favorite was bologna. However, I rarely eat them now, being gluten-free has me reaching for other foods most of the time. Somehow this quarantine has me heading back to comfort food I normally don’t crave like this Turkey and Apple Sandwich with Bacon. Thinking about the leftover pesto hanging in my fridge along with other staples in my home, prosciutto and mozzarella cheese I know I have a killer sandwich just waiting to be eaten.
ย There is something about the herby notes in the pesto, the salty prosciutto and the creamy mozzarella cheese that just fills your soul when you take a bite. It comes together in minutes and is gone in seconds. I asked my kids if they were interested in having one and they didn’t hesitate gluten-free bread and all, I was too lazy to grab the regular bread I have laying around. After all, the lunch I was making for myself ended up being lunch for three.
Why You'll Love It
- It’s simple comfort food.
- You can make it gluten-free.
- Use your favorite basil pesto whether it’s homemade or store bought.
Ingredients
Bread – Any slice bread should work, Italian sliced bread, sourdough, gluten-free bread.
Basil Pesto – Store bought or homemade.
Prosciutto – Thinly sliced from the deli or prepackaged.
Mozzarella Cheese – Use the shredded kind.
Butter – Unsalted is a better option but in a pinch you can use salted or olive oil.
The Pesto
A favorite pesto recipe comes from Giada, I started using it when I purchased her first cookbook many years ago. It is the one pesto recipe I turn to the most and tastes the best in my opinion. I have yet to find one that I like as much as this one. Sometimes I switch it up and sub in walnuts instead of pine nuts because pine nuts can be very pricey. Either way it tastes great. You can find the recipe for the pesto here: Basil Pesto Recipe.
Prosciutto and Pesto Grilled Cheese
Materials
- Butter
- 8 Slices of bread crusty sliced italian, sandwich bread or gf bread
- 1/2 cup Basil pesto
- 8 Thin slices of prosciutto
- 8 oz Shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Heat up a large frying pan on the stovetop.
- You can either butter your bread or drizzle olive oil into pan.
- Buid your sandwich, butter one side of bread then flip to unbuttered side and spread a bit of pesto to cover the bread. Next add thin slices of prosciutto followed by shredded mozzarella cheese. Place other slice of bread on top and butter.
- Gently place bread onto hot frying pan and cover pan with lid. This helps melt the cheese quicker. Once one side of bread is browned, flip to other side and do the same. Once both sides are browned and cheese is melted remove from pan and enjoy.