Man, I keep taking pictures of food and not posting them. So let me try and get something posted - this Smitten Kitchen Fried Provolone and Tomato Sandwich.
For one serving you need the following:
- Two slices of bread, toasted (I used Pane di Casa from Harris Teeter)
- 1-2 tbs mayonaise
- 4 slices thin sliced provolone (I used Sargento Ultra Thin sliced)
- As much ripe tomato as you like (this one was from the Farm, I think it was a German Johnson, about 1 medium tomato).
Pretty much the recipe is just toast the bread, spread with mayo, top with fried provolone, top with sliced tomato, sprinkle with salt and pepper and you're done. The tricky bit is that part in italics, the fried provolone. The first time I tried to make this dish, the fried provolone was a big fail, and I didn't understand what the fuss was about. But I tried it again this summer, and I think the trick is just to be patient.
To fry the provolone, heat a non-stick skillet on medium low heat. I pour 1-2 tsp of olive oil in the pan, and wipe it around with a paper towel. Lay two slightly overlapping slices of provolone in the skillet, it will start to bubble up as it melts and look lacy, especially on the parts where there's only one layer. This is where I've messed up before, I went too fast and the provolone hadn't browned, which helps it hold together. As it is cooking, I shape it a little bit with the spatula so it will fit on the bread. Once the underside is browned, you can flip the cheese over if it folds up, don't panic, just unfold it and brown it on the other side:
Then lift it out of the pan and put on your mayonnaise spread bread. Top with tomato and sprinkle with salt. It's like a crispy/chewy cheesy crouton.
