What's For Dinner Wednesday: Smoked Mozzarella Grilled Cheese with Prosciutto, Arugula & Roasted Tomatoes

I'm REALLY late to the game on this one, but better late than never... April is (was?) National Grilled Cheese Month! And I think that calls for some celebration.

A grilled cheese sandwich is one of my favorite meals to keep in my arsenal when I'm running out of time or ideas to cook: a hearty weekend lunch, a meatless dinner, a complete meal when we've only got a few minutes to cook, eat, and head out the door... it's the perfect sandwich for all of those instances. And there's nothing tastier than melty cheese and toasty bread.

This Italian-style grilled cheese is full of flavor and has a little bit of every food group in it, so it's a meal in itself. I created this recipe on a Sunday with a few ingredients that I had hanging out in my kitchen-- because I didn't feel like venturing out in the rain to grocery shop. And the result was a really delicious sandwich!

All of the ingredients in this sandwich work really nicely together, but I think there are two standout ingredients here that really make the flavor pop: The first is smoked mozzarella. It's deliciously smoky, but still has that great mild cheese flavor and soft melty quality that's ideal for making a grilled cheese sandwich. The other star ingredient is the addition of roasted tomatoes. Roasting them with herbs gives them an intensely sweet and earthy (from the herbs) flavor that I love with that mild cheese, the salty prosciutto, and peppery arugula. And the best part? I bought the roasted tomatoes at the Whole Foods olive bar!


Ingredients:

• 4 large slices of good quality white bread, like ciabatta, Italian, or sourdough
• Olive oil
• 4 oz. smoked mozzarella, thinly sliced
• 3 oz. prosciutto, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup herb roasted tomatoes *I found mine at the Whole Foods Olive Bar. You can make your own with this great recipe from my friend Kit at The Kittchen too!
• 1/4 cup arugula

Heat a large skillet over medium heat.

To assemble sandwiches, brush the outside of each bread slice lightly with olive oil. On one slice of bread (oiled side out), cover evenly with one layer of mozzarella, half of the prosciutto slices, half of the tomatoes, and half of the arugula. Repeat with second sandwich and top each evenly with the remaining mozzarella. Place the second slice of bread with the oiled side facing out on top of each completed sandwich.

Place both sandwiches carefully in the hot skillet and cover. Cook for about 4 minutes or until cheese begins to melt and the bottom side is golden brown. Gently flip the sandwich over, cover again, and cook for another 2-3 minutes until golden.

Remove from skillet, allow to cool for 1-2 minutes, slice in half, and serve warm.


Looking for more grilled cheese recipes to celebrate Grilled Cheese Month? Try these: 
Heaven in Vermont Grilled Cheese
Prosciutto & Peperoncini Grilled Cheese
Spicy Guacamole Grilled Cheese 
Sun-Dried Tomato & Turkey Panini 
Toasted Chicken & Apple Sandwiches