I especially like to make this dish without the bread on top of a thin frittata as a hot summer night dinner served with a crisp Pinot Griecio and sliced melon for dessert.
Ingredients
2 pounds red beefsteak tomatoes (about 4 medium), cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1/2 cup Italian breadcrumbs
1/2 pound sliced proscuitto d’ parma, cooked until crisp,
8 large slices firm white sandwich bread
3/4 pound fresh mozzarella, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
24 fresh basil leaves, washed well and spun dry
Aged balsamic
Directions
- Preheat broiler. In a small bowl coat 4 tomato slices evenly with breadcrumbs and season with salt. In a 10- to 12-inch heavy skillet heat 1/4 cup olive oil over moderate heat until hot but not smoking and cook tomatoes until golden brown on both sides, about 5 minutes, transferring them as cooked to paper towels to drain. Coat and cook remaining tomatoes in same manner, using additional drippings if necessary.
- On a baking sheet broil one side of bread slices about 3 inches from heat until golden. Make sandwiches by layering, on untoasted sides of bread, mozzarella, basil, tomatoes, and proscuitto. Top with remaining bread slices, toasted sides up.
- Drizzle with aged balsamic.
