Caprese Grilled Cheese Sandwich

# The Ingredients You'll Need:

01 - 4 slices sourdough or Italian bread

02 - 4 oz fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced

03 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened

04 - 1 large ripe tomato, thinly sliced

05 - 8 to 10 fresh basil leaves

06 - 1 tbsp balsamic glaze

07 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

01 - Spread butter evenly on one side of each bread slice.

02 - Place two slices butter-side down. Layer mozzarella, tomato slices, and basil leaves. Season with salt and pepper.

03 - Drizzle balsamic glaze over tomato and basil layers.

04 - Top with remaining slices of bread, butter-side up.

05 - Preheat a large nonstick skillet or grill pan over medium heat.

06 - Place sandwiches in pan; cook 3 to 4 minutes per side, pressing gently, until bread is golden and cheese is melted.

07 - Remove from pan and let rest for 1 minute. Slice in half, drizzle extra balsamic glaze if desired, and serve immediately.

01 -

It tastes like something you'd order at a fancy Italian restaurant, but comes together in the time it takes to brew coffee.
The warm melted mozzarella plays perfectly against cool, juicy tomato slices and that peppery basil snap.
Once you nail this, you'll stop making plain grilled cheese and start wondering why you ever did.

02 -

If your tomato is watery, pat the slices dry with a paper towel before assembling—wet tomato is the enemy of crispy bread.
Medium heat is your friend here; crank it too high and you'll get a burnt outside with cold mozzarella in the middle, which is heartbreaking.
Fresh basil wilts if the sandwich sits, so make these right before you eat them.

03 -

Let your tomato come to room temperature before slicing—cold tomato has no flavor, and it won't marry with the warm cheese the way it should.
Pressing gently with your spatula while cooking helps the cheese melt evenly without squishing out the sides, which is the difference between a coherent sandwich and a messy one.