Mozzarella en Carozza - Valastro Style, Baby

Have you checked out Buddy Valastro's new cooking show, Kitchen Boss?  It's great.  He cooks all my favorite foods just the way my mother did when I was growing up.  She didn't, however, make these Italian Grilled Cheese sandwiches.  My girls are lucky I'm not my mother ;).   They've both proclaimed these to be the best sandwiches ever.  Oh yeah, baby - they're that good!

Let's make one - first, we schmear some sun-dried tomato pesto onto 2 slices of bread, then we add a nice slice of  fresh "Mootz" (mozzarella cheese).  Buddy's version didn't include the basil, but my plant was sitting right there and hey, what can I say, I couldn't resist!!

Okay, now we squish the two pieces of bread together and dip the whole thing in beaten egg...

...then into seasoned breadcrumbs (shake off the excess), and fry in olive oil over medium heat until the breadcrumbs are nice and brown, and the cheese is melted and gooey.  Be careful not to overheat the oil - if it starts to smoke, it's too hot.  Oh man, you gotta try them.  Estremamente Deliziosa!

Mozzarella en Carozza

makes 4 sandwiches

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 8 slices sandwich bread

• 4 slices fresh mozzarella, about 1/4-inch thick

• 4 tablespoons sun-dried tomato pesto

• 4 large fresh basil leaves

• 2 eggs, beaten

• 1 - 1 1/2 cups Italian seasoned breadcrumbs

• 1 cup olive oil

• extra sun-dried tomato pesto for dipping (optional)

Directions

1. Spread 1/2 tablespoon of sun-dried tomato pesto on each slice of bread.

2. Top 4 slices of bread with 4 slices of fresh mozzarella and a large basil leaf.

3. Top with remaining 4 slices of bread (tomato pesto should be on the inside of the sandwich); give each sandwich a little squish to keep them together as you dip them in beaten egg, followed by seasoned bread crumbs.

4. Shake off excess crumbs.

5. Fry sandwiches in olive oil over medium heat until golden brown on all sides, being careful not to let the oil overheat.

6. Serve with additional sun-dried tomato pesto for dipping.

adapted from Buddy Valastro, The Kitchen Boss (aka The Cake Boss)

Hot Ham and Cheese Sandwiches with Onion Butter

Ok, so who's interested in a guaranteed crowd-pleasing, drippy, cheesy, delicious hot sandwich recipe?   (Anyone? ...Anyone?)

The thought of a hot ham and cheese sandwiches is pretty awesome, but add this amazing onion butter concoction and wow, it'll knock your sock off.   The recipe is pretty flexible.  You can use any kind of bread you like, and kind of ham you have, and feel free to use your favorite cheese (something that melts really well).  

Hot Ham and Cheese Sandwiches with Onion Butter

makes 8 kaiser rolls, 16 dinner rolls, or 1 large Italian loaf, or 2 12-ounce baguettes

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

For the Sandwiches:

• 8 large or 16 small rolls

• 1/2 pound ham (deli ham, leftover ham, chopped ham, whatever)

• 1/2 pound cheese, any that melts well (American, Swiss, Muenster, etc)

For the Onion Butter:

• 8 tablespoons salted butter (yes, salted)

• 1/2 cup finely minced onion

• 3 tablespoons prepared mustard (Dijon, spicy brown, grainy... ooooh)

• 1 teaspoon poppy seeds

• 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

Directions

To Make the Onion Butter:

1. Combine butter, onions, mustard, poppy seeds, and lemon juice in a small sauce pan and heat gently, just until the butter is melted and all the ingredients are well combined.

2. Cool to a spreadable consistency. Refrigerate leftovers.

To make Sandwiches:

1. Place bottom half of rolls cut side up on a sheet pan.

2. Spread 1/2 the onion butter evenly onto the halves

3. Top with 1/2 the cheese.

4. Add all the ham.

5. Add remaining cheese.

6. Finish with the rest of the onion butter.

7. Place top half of rolls on sandwiches.

8. Cover pan tightly with foil and heat in a 300F oven for 10-15 minutes, or until the sandwiches are heated through and the cheese melts.

Notes

• Sandwiches can be assembled up to 2 days in advance, but be sure to store them in an airtight container to contain the smell of raw onions in your fridge.

• Sandwiches can also be wrapped in foil and placed in a slow cooker on high heat until cheese melts, about an hour.