When you spend the morning at the beach, then out to lunch, then take the kids for a haircut in preparation for school starting {eek!} there just isn’t time for a big elaborate dinner! I love paninis for a quick and easy weeknight meal. Whats not to love about this Pesto Caprese Panini? Tomatoes picked from the garden {a perk to living in Jersey, we have great tomatoes}, fresh mozzarella and homemade basil {again from the garden} pesto! Can’t forget about that bread, that gorgeous crispy crunchy bread! This is one of my very favorite summer time sandwiches!
I know I’ve mentioned it before but I am really so glad we grew a little garden this year. It really is very small, maybe 5 ft by 5ft and we don’t have a huge variety but its been great! I love having the kiddos come out with me in the morning to see if theres anything to pick. I love that they can see a vegetable go from a seed to a plant straight into the kitchen to be prepared to eat. I think its a great learning experience for them and well I just love it! We’ve been able to enjoy so many tomato & cucumber salads thanks to the garden. We’ve had tons of Japanese eggplants and green bell peppers. The fresh herbs are awesome too! I’ve made several batches of pesto and homemade basil mayo with the abundance we’ve got. The rosemary and thyme have been great in sauces and with roasted chicken. Yup, i’m really going to miss this garden once winter hits!
So the moral, i’m going to thoroughly enjoy all the goodness while it lasts, like the great ingredients in this simple Pesto Caprese Panini!
Ingredients
- ciabatta rolls or a sourdough round sliced
- fresh mozzarella, sliced thin
- tomatoes, sliced thin
- 3 handfuls of basil leaves
- 1/4 cup pecorino romano cheese
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1/3 cup unsalted almonds
- approx 1/4 cup olive oil
Instructions
- To make the pesto add the garlic and almonds to a food processor, give a few pulses to get a rough chop.
- Add in the basil and with the processor running, stream in the olive oil. Once well combined stir in the grated cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Spread some of the pesto on what will be the inside sides of two slices of bread.
- Top one piece with a couple slices of mozzarella, then the tomato and then another couple slices of mozzarella to hold the panini together. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
- Heat up a panini press and carefully place the sandwich on the press. Lower the top and cook for about 6-8 minutes until the bread is golden and the cheese is gooey melted.
[…] Pesto Caprese Panini from Lemoine Family Kitchen […]