Caprese grilled cheese toastie

Method

• step 1

  To make the pesto, toast the nuts in a small dry frying pan for 2-3 minutes until lightly golden and smelling toasted. Tip onto a plate and cool for a minute. Transfer to a food processor with the salad leaves, herbs, cheese, garlic and oil, and pulse a few times to combine. Scrape down the sides, then blend again until you get a chunky pesto, or continue blending if you prefer a smoother pesto. Season well, adding enough just enough of the lemon juice to balance any bitterness from the salad leaves. The pesto will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for four to five days.

• step 2

  Spread 1 tbsp of butter over two slices of sourdough and put them butter-side down in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Cook for 3-4 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp, pressing them down with a spatula. Repeat with the remaining two slices of bread so all four slices are toasted on one side.

• step 3

  Put all four slices of bread, toasted-side up, on a board. Leave the pan over a medium heat. Spread some pesto over each piece (you won’t need it all). Add the tomato slices and torn mozzarella to two pieces, season with sea salt flakes and black pepper, then top with the remaining slices of bread, pesto-side down. Butter one outer side of both sandwiches.

• step 4

  Transfer the sandwiches butter-side down to the hot pan and fry, pressing down, for 3-5 minutes, or until golden and crisp. Butter the top outer sides of the sandwiches, then flip and cook until crisp on the outside and the mozzarella is gooey and melted on the inside. Serve with more pesto for dunking.