Caprese Grilled Cheese

Ingredients

• 2 slices fresh bread
• 3 oz fresh mozzarella, sliced into rounds or grated
• 4 – 6 Roma tomato slices
• 1 Tbsp chopped, fresh basil ribbons
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil or 1 Tbsp butter
• 1/2 clove of garlic, for rubbing bread

Directions

1. Arrange the Mozzarella rounds evenly on one piece of bread, then add the sliced tomatoes in a neat layer. Scatter the basil ribbons over the tomatoes, add ground black pepper to taste, and place the second slice of bread on top. Pour 1 tsp olive oil into a non-stick skillet, warm it over medium-low heat, and tip the pan so the oil coats the surface. The oil should move easily in the skillet, but it should not be smoking before the sandwich goes in, or the bread may brown before the cheese softens. If you are using butter instead, spread 1/2 tbsp butter on the top and bottom of the sandwich and warm the skillet over medium heat. Add the sandwich, cover the pan, and cook until the underside is golden brown, about 2 minutes.
2. Lift the sandwich from the skillet, add the remaining 1 tsp olive oil, and tilt the pan again to coat it. Turn the sandwich over carefully, set it back in the skillet, cover, and cook until the second side is golden and the cheese has melted all the way through. Take it out of the pan and gently rub the garlic clove over the toasted bread. Serve right away. If fresh mozzarella is not available, low-moisture part-skim Mozzarella can be used instead.