Caprese Grilled Cheese with Arugula Pesto

Ingredients

Grilled Cheese

120 g aged white cheddar (mozarella works great here too)

4 thick slices of sourdough bread

1 ripe tomato, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons (28 g) ghee, butter or oil*

3-4 roughly torn basil leaves

Arugula Pesto

1 heaping cup (20 g) fresh basil

½ cup (10 g) arugula

1 tablespoon (8 g) toasted almonds or sunflower seeds

2 tablespoons (30 g) grated parmesan cheese

1 clove garlic

2 tablespoons (56 g) olive oil

juice from half a lemon

½ teaspoon (3 g) salt

3-4 turns freshly ground pepper

Preparation

In a food processor or blender, add all ingredients for arugula pesto. Blend for 30-45 seconds, until creamy and smooth. Add a 1-2 tablespoons of water or additional oil to thin it out as needed. Taste and season with black pepper, a pinch more salt or lemon as needed.

On a work surface, lay out 4 slices of bread. Spread 1 tablespoon of arugula pesto on 2 of the slices. Top with tomato slices and basil, followed by cheese in an even layer. Top with remaining bread slice to make a sandwich.

Preheat a skillet with 1 tablespoon ghee or butter over medium heat. When the skillet is hot, add sandwiches, cheese-side down first.Cook for 3-4 min on one side, until very golden and crisp. If the cheese isn’t melting fast enough, partially cover skillet with a lid or piece of tin foil.

With a spatula, flip the grilled cheese carefully. Add 1 tablespoon additional ghee or butter to the pan and tilt to coat the entire pan. Press down grilled cheese with your hands or a spatula to flatten slightly. Cook grilled cheese for another 2-4 min, until the bread is a beautiful golden and the cheese is oozy and melted.

Cut in half and enjoy!