TFF -- A "Sponge Worthy" Mozzarella Grilled Cheese

From the Urban Dictionary:

"A phrase coined by Elaine on the TV show "Seinfeld." Refers to Elaine's favorite kind of birth control that was ultimately taken off the market. Elaine bought all the remaining stock she could get her hands on and then hoarded her stash of sponges. She defined her dates as being "sponge-worthy" or not.

Jerry- I heard you went out with Bob last night. Was he sponge-worthy?
Elaine- VERY sponge-worthy!

Or alternate response from Elaine-I don't waste my sponges on just anybody. He has to be sponge worthy, Jerry!"


Remember this Seinfeld episode? Well, I feel the same way about my homemade Pesto Sauce that Elaine felt about her sponges. There's consequences if you use it and there's consequences if you don't. So using my homemade Pesto Sauce is a serious decision. I only have so much Pesto in my freezer and when it's gone, it's gone!

Is the dish good enough for my pesto sauce? Down the road when my pesto supply has been depleted will I say to myself "shouldn't have done it"? What if next month I find a fabulous pasta recipe and I don't have enough pesto? These are just some thoughts I had when I was considering making Tyler's Mozzarella Grilled Cheese. The sandwich sounded very interesting, and if I ate a grilled cheese every day for the rest of my life I'd be happy, but I just wasn't sure if it was "sponge worthy".

Mozzarella Grilled Cheese
Recipe adapted from Tyler Florence

4 slices thick-cut sourdough bread
1 ball (1 pound) fresh mozzarella, cut into 1/4-inch slices
2 plum tomatoes, cut into thick slices
1 cup fresh basil pesto, recipe follows
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Extra-virgin olive oil

Basil pesto:
1/2 cup pine nuts
2 cups fresh basil leaves
1 cup fresh Italian parsley leaves
1/2 cup Parmesan or Romano
2 garlic cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

To make pesto:

Toast pine nuts in a skillet over medium heat until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Combine pesto ingredients in a food processor and pulse until well combined but still rough-textured.

If you have a panini press, turn it on to warm up; otherwise, set a cast iron skillet over medium heat.

Assemble sandwich by smearing insides of bread slices with pesto. Arrange a layer of sliced tomato and season with a few turns of fresh pepper. Layer the mozzarella slices over the top and then place another piece of bread on top to make the sandwich. Drizzle olive oil over skillet's surface and place sandwiches on the hot skillet or panini press. If using a skillet, place another heavy skillet over the top to form a "press". Turn after 2 to 3 minutes and replace weight. The sandwich is ready when golden brown and mozzarella has melted around the edges.

Please stop by and check out the rest of Tyler's Fans at Tyler Florence Fridays!


Tasting Notes: Mr. Tastebuds was not happy when I told him we were having Grilled Cheese Sandwiches for dinner. But then I told him I was making potato chips and he'll eat anything as long as I make him some homemade potato chips. Well, he loved this sandwich and specifically said I should make it again!

Grilling the sandwich in EVOO was wonderful and made a fabulously crisp crust! But I'm still on the fence if it was sponge worthy or not. However I do think Tyler's Mozzarella Grilled Cheese would have been delicious served sometime in July when my basil is in full glory and made with a warm-from-the-sun homegrown tomato! YUM! Now that would be a very sponge worthy sandwich!


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