Grilled Sandwich: Fontina, Bacon and Fresh Basil

Source: Family Circle Magazine

Nice change from the traditional grilled cheese sandwich
Also a great way to use fresh basil

Ingredients

  • 8 slices of your favorite bread (we like Breadsmith’s French Pheasant)
  • EVOO olive oil
  • 8 slices center-cut bacon
  • 8 oz. fontina cheese, shredded
  • fresh basil leaves

Instructions

Arrange bacon slices on a rack over a foil-lined rimmed sheet pan. Roast at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes, until crisp. Cool.

Pour bacon fat from pan into a small glass measuring cup or bowl and add enough EVOO to equal ¼ cup. Set aside.

While bacon is cooking, shred fontina cheese.

Over 4 slices of bread, sprinkle half of the fontina cheese equally on each piece. Break each piece of bacon in half and place 4 halves on each slice.

Top bacon with torn fresh basil leaves, to taste.

Sprinkle with remaining fontina cheese, dividing equally among the 4 sandwiches.

Brush 1 side of the other 4 more slices of bread with bacon fat/oil and place on cheese, fat side up. Place sandwiches fat side down on a large hot electric griddle (or do in batches in a skillet).

Brush top of each sandwich with remaining bacon fat/oil. Cook until crispy, 2-3 minutes per side. Serve warm.

Makes 4 sandwiches.

NOTE: You can use plain EVOO olive oil instead of using the bacon fat/oil combo to coat bread slices.