Ultimate Grilled Cheese

Fabio's decadent make-over of a classic American comfort food reveals great flavor combinations and simple tricks to amp up any boring grilled cheese.

Tips:

  • THE BEST CHEESE FOR YOUR SAMMIE: Cheddar, American, and Swiss may be familiar cheeses, but there are so many more to choose from. Try melting triple cream Brie or Colby Jack, for example.

  • Use seasoned or cured meats to spice things up! Pepperoni releases tasty oils that the bread absorbs, uniting everything into a delicious sandwich.

  • Your bread matters! Choose flavorful loaves to take your sandwich to the next level.

  • Use a foil-wrapped brick or Panini press to flatten fluffy breads (like Challah), and trap melted cheese and every bit of flavor.

Pepperoni Grilled Cheese

Recipe by Fabio Viviani

Yield: 1 sandwich

Ingredients:

2 slices Challah bread, sliced ½ -inch thick

1 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/4 lb. sharp cheddar cheese, sliced 1/3-inch thick (about 5-6 slices)

6 slices of sandwich-sized pepperoni

1 tsp Dijon mustard

Special equipment: Foil-wrapped brick.

Method:

Butter the "outside" of both slices of bread.

On one slice of bread, arrange 5-6 slices of cheese.

Top cheese with 6 slices of sandwich pepperoni.

Spread Dijon mustard on the "inside" of the second slice of buttered bread, and place on top of the pepperoni and cheese.

Place the sandwich into a COLD skillet, with the cheese on the bottom.

Top with the foil-wrapped brick, and cook over medium heat until golden-brown, about 3-4 minutes.

Flip sandwich with a spatula, and top with the brick again.

Cook another 2-3 minutes, until golden-brown and the cheese is completely melted.

Remove from heat and serve hot, with Fabio's Quick Tomato Soup (recipe follows).

MANGIA!!

Quick Tomato Soup

Recipe by Fabio Viviani

Yield: about 2 1/2 cups

Ingredients:

1 pint (2 cups) Fabio's Marinara Sauce

1/3 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup chicken stock

extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling

salt and pepper, to taste

Method:

Blend marinara, heavy cream, and chicken stock in a saucepan.

Heat over medium heat until creamy and hot, about 5-7 minutes.

Pour into mugs or bowls, and drizzle with olive oil.

Salt and pepper as needed.

MANGIA!!