Today my sister Christine stopped by for a visit and a photo session for these Italian Grilled Cheese Sammies. Christine takes beautiful photos—usually families and babies—but today she photographed this recipe for me. We were both excited and had a great time. The highlight, besides the sandwiches, was seeing my adorable niece Meredith and looking forward to baby Papasian arriving in September. This post is for Christine, Meredith and the baby. xoxo
This recipe was featured on The Pioneer Woman Cooks!
To make these Italian Grilled Cheese Sammies you will need:
- pumpernickel bread
- provolone cheese
- roma tomato
- baby portobello or cremini mushrooms
- basil pesto
- butter
Slice the tomatoes thinly so each bite easily goes through the tomato without everything sliding off the bread. Slice the mushrooms thin as well.
Preheat a pan over medium to medium-low heat. Spread a thin layer of butter on one side of each slice of bread—just a thin layer will give you a crispier grilled cheese.
Place the bread butter-side down on the preheated pan.
Layer the sandwich starting with a slice of provolone, then add the thinly sliced tomato, mushrooms and a spoonful of pesto. Top with a second slice of provolone and finish with the remaining slice of bread, butter side up.
Cover the pan with a lid for a minute or two so the steam helps melt the cheese. Flip the sandwich and cover again until both sides are crisp. Pumpernickel can look very dark as it toasts, but it isn’t burnt unless it smells burned—just keep an eye on it while it cooks.
Look at that ooey-gooey goodness!
YUM! (She’s definitely selling this sandwich.)
Enjoy! If you try this Italian Grilled Cheese Sammies recipe, I’d love to see a photo—share it on social media and tag the account you prefer.
Italian Grilled Cheese Sammies
Ingredients
- 4 slices pumpernickel bread
- 4 slices provolone cheese
- 1 roma tomato, sliced thin
- 2 large cremini mushrooms, sliced thin
- 2 tablespoons basil pesto, homemade or store-bought (about 1 tbsp per sandwich)
- 2 tablespoons salted butter, softened
Instructions
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Butter one side of each slice of bread.
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Place butter-side down onto a preheated pan over medium to medium-low heat.
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Layer in this order: a slice of provolone, tomato, mushroom, and pesto. Add a second slice of provolone, then top with the second slice of bread, butter side up.
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Cover with a lid for a minute or two to help the cheese melt.
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Flip and repeat with the lid until both sides are golden and crispy.