Italian Grilled Cheese Sandwich

I may not have won the 1st Annual Grilled Cheese Cookoff, but my husband requested this for lunch the next day, so I think  it was a hit.

INGREDIENTS:

• Italian Bread
• Thinly Sliced Procuitto
• Six Cheese Italian Blend Shredded Cheese
• Fresh Sage Chopped or Rubbed Dalmation Sage
• Fresh Tomato
• Minced Garlic
• Butter
• Sea Salt
• Fresh Ground Black Pepper
• Shedds Spread or Softened Butter/Margarine

This will make 4 sandwiches, adjust ingredients accordingly.

On low/medium heat melt two tablespoons butter in small saute/frying pan.  (If you do not have a jar of minced garlic, mince 4-5 cloves of fresh garlic) add 2 Tablespoons of minced garlic to melted butter and saute until garlic browns slightly.  While garlic is cooking, chop a tomato into small cubes, salt tomato as desired with sea salt.  Set aside until garlic is slightly browned.  Take a package of  Shredded Italian Cheese Blend and mix with a tablespoon of Sage, sea salt to tase and fresh ground black pepper to taste.  When garlic is slightly browned add chopped tomato and 1 teaspoon sage to pan.  Continue to Saute until water content of tomatoes is reduced and you have an almost pasty looking mixture.  Preheat Griddle or Large Frying Pan to a medium heat adding butter, non stick cooking spray, or margarine to prevent sticking.  Using Shedds Spread or softened butter/margarine, Spread on eight slices of Italian Bread.  Add 4 slices of bread to the Griddle or large frying pan (butter side down) and sprinkle cheese mixture to cover the bread.  Add one slice of Procuitto to each.  Using a tablespoon add 1-2 tablespoons of the garlic/tomato/sage mixture on top of each slice of procuitto and spread evenly.  Sprinkle each with cheese mixture again.  Add second slice of bread (butter side up) and either press each with a warm spautla or use a weight to press each down.  Cook 2-3 minutes to brown bread and remove weight and turn each over.  Cook additional 2-3 minutes to brown.  Remove from heat.  Let stand a few minutes to set and cut into halves or quarters.  Serve with Tomato soup, antipasto salad or use your imagination!  YUMMY!

Variations:

You can spread the inside of each slice of bread with dijon mustard as you put them into the pan…I’m not a mustard lover, but it was a suggestion I was given if you like mustard. 

I only salt the tomatoes (they always need salt) and add a small amount to the cheese.  The procuitto is already salty, so do not add any salt when putting the sandwich together!  I am a salt-o-holic, so I am using natural sea salt and it is wonderful.   Hope you enjoy this!