| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 1 day 20 min |
| Inactive: | 1 day |
| Cook: | 20 min |
| Yield: | 32 small sandwiches |
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 1 day 20 min |
| Inactive: | 1 day |
| Cook: | 20 min |
| Yield: | 32 small sandwiches |
Ingredients
- 5 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon aleppo pepper
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and pressed
- 8 large slices sourdough rye bread
- 16 ounces mozzarella cheese, cut into 16 slices
- Coarse sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary
- Pickled Scallions, recipe follows
- 8 scallions, root ends trimmed
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- Splash extra-virgin olive oil, about 1 tablespoon
Instructions
- I think simple recipes are the best way to start out the meal. Melted cheese, in any form, is something that everyone loves. I find these sandwiches only make people want to eat more afterwards!
- In a small bowl, add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and the pressed garlic. Stir to blend.
- Put 4 slices of the bread on a flat surface. Dry any moisture off the mozzarella cheese and put 4 slices on 4 pieces of bread. Sprinkle with aleppo pepper and drizzle with the garlic and oil mixture. Sprinkle with sea salt and pepper, to taste. “Flake” the thyme off the stems and onto the cheese. Do the same with the rosemary, but more sparingly.
- Cover the cheese with the remaining 4 slices of bread and cut each sandwich in half and in half again, to make 4 individual pieces. Arrange them in a single layer on a small baking sheet or large plate and cover them with baking sheet or plate to weigh them down. Refrigerate the sandwiches overnight. This will make them flatter and better integrate the flavors.
- The next day, heat the remaining 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large skillet over low heat. When the olive oil begins to smoke lightly, add the sandwiches and cook them on 1 side until brown. Turn and cook until brown on the other side. Cook in batches, if necessary. Transfer to a serving platter and season with salt. Top with the pickled scallions and serve immediately.
- The acidity of the vinegar and the oniony “bite” of the scallion make this a brightening element for my cheese sandwiches. I avoid salt and pepper to keep the focus on the acidity of the scallion.
- Put the scallions on a cutting board and, using a sharp knife, slice them into thin rounds from the white part all the way through the green part.
- Add the scallions to a small bowl with the red wine vinegar and the olive oil. Toss to combine and set aside for 1 to 2 hours to allow the vinegar to work its magic. The scallions can be covered and refrigerated overnight, if desired.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 32 servings |
| Calories | 72 |
| Total Fat | 6 g |
| Saturated Fat | 3 g |
| Carbohydrates | 2 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 0 g |
| Sugar | 0 g |
| Protein | 3 g |
| Cholesterol | 13 mg |
| Sodium | 116 mg |
| Serving Size | 1 of 32 servings |
| Calories | 72 |
| Total Fat | 6 g |
| Saturated Fat | 3 g |
| Carbohydrates | 2 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 0 g |
| Sugar | 0 g |
| Protein | 3 g |
| Cholesterol | 13 mg |
| Sodium | 116 mg |
Reviews
I saw these on television today, and had to make them this afternoon. 🙂 They were wonderful, and as Alex always mentions when she judges on Chopped, they make the perfect bite. I wasn’t sure about the pickled scallions, but I trusted her, and they were a great way to balance the other flavors in the sandwich. I will look forward to trying it again when fresh herbs are in season.
I haven’t made these yet, but I know I will love them by the ingredients. I am in the Caribbean, so I can’t get good mozzarella, but I do have Aleppo pepper that I ordered and plan on getting more. I love the flavor and when I get back to the U.S. I am definitely going to make these!
So simple, yet so delicious. My husband’s a total foodie and this is quite possibly his favorite “snack” to date (we’ve been together ten years!) I think the sauce is what does the trick and lucky for him, I can’t have cheese anymore so he gets it ALL!! You know you love a dish when you make it even though you can’t eat it!
We made the pickled scallions first, and both DH and I tasted it and thought, “too vinegary”, but I always follow the recipe, as is, the first time. Two days later, it was PERFECT! We were so glad that we didn’t add more EVOO. We made 4 cheese sandwiches this morning, pressed them down with a covered brick, and cooked up 2 for lunch. They only had 3 hours to marinate. So-o-o good, but a little bland. Because we had a bit of minced rosemary and thyme left over, we decided to add it to the 2 remaining sandwiches. I’m sure with additional marinating time, the flavors will develop more. This will be put into our rotation, definitely! Thank you!
The onions make this sandwich! Every guest wanted more.
My family loved these sandwiches. I made them for a quick Saturday dinner and they didn’t stop raving about them. Definitely a keeper! Thank you Alex…Love your new show!
Thank you Alex for this simple pleasure….they went so fast, I thought my family was kidding when they said they were gone.
Loved these!!! Perfect in every way!
This recipe was very good. I’m sure if I actually followed the recipe and let the sandwiches marry together in the fridge for 24 hours they would have been even better! Maybe next time I will remember to do that. Rookie mistake.
I love fresh mozzarella, but Alex is right that it can be a little boring. this recipe really jazzs it up, but still retains the butteriness and yummy quality. I used homemade ciabatta, which grills to perfection and imported Italian buffalo milk mozzarella. Absolutely yummy. Have done it twice and can’t wait to make a few more!