Mini Caprese Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

I’ve been eyeing all the beautiful Caprese sandwiches online for so long, waiting for the day when I had a fresh garden tomato to make one.

So I have a funny story to tell you. Last fall I had a potted tomato plant that wasn’t finished making tomatoes when the frost came. I brought it inside so the tomatoes could keep growing on the vine. It kept growing all winter long and I kept watering it … I mean, why not? It was a beautiful thriving houseplant. And when the days started getting longer, it started blooming. I didn’t have any bees to pollinate the flowers, so I tried hand-pollinating the flowers with my fingers.

The most amazing thing happened. Two tomatoes actually started growing! One of them has already ripened. It was pretty small and ugly and kind of dense and tough … but when I cut it open? Oh my … it put the store-bought tomatoes to shame. It had so much flavor it almost tasted like a sundried tomato.

So I decided it was time to give the Caprese Grilled sandwich a try. I had to supplement my little fresh tomato pieces with some store-bought tomato slices, but oh man, these sandwiches are to die for.

I think these little Caprese sammies would go well with either a soup or salad on the side. I had mine with a cup of mixed fruit topped with a few toasted walnuts. (I had SUCH a hard time waiting to eat them …)

Mini Caprese Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

• French rolls (or french bread), sliced thin
• Pesto (I used the Basil Lime Pesto I made last summer and froze)
• Fresh tomato, sliced thin
• Fresh basil leaves
• Sliced or shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
• Butter or light butter spread

Directions:

1. Spread one side of each slice of bread with a very thin layer of pesto.
2. Add a thin slice of mozzarella or sprinkle on a thin layer of shredded cheese.
3. Cover the cheese with tomato slices, then basil leaves.
4. Add another slice of mozzarella or shredded cheese.
5. Top with a slice of bread (pesto side in).
6. Butter the outside of the sandwiches lightly.
7. Preheat a skillet pan coated with cooking spray over medium heat.
8. Turn the heat down to medium low and carefully place the little sandwiches in the pan. Cover and cook for a few minutes, then check to see if the bottom side is golden brown yet. Carefully flip the sandwiches to toast the other side, then cover and cook until the other side  is golden brown.
9. Serve immediately and revel in the deliciousness.

Can you tell which tomato piece is the home-grown one and which one came from the store?

(And yeah, I know … it’s so definitely time to ditch the purple nail polish.)

This recipe was shared at Sweet & Simple Sundays, Tastetastic Thursdays, Moosewood Monday and Newlyweds Recipe Linky.