As a kid I was never really a fan of tomatoes and when it came to sandwiches that made the selection pretty limited. However, in time I have grown to love them, especially when it comes to in sandwiches. As a result, I am a sucker for a good BLT. I am a huge fan of bacon and I love the crispness that lettuce adds to any sandwich as well. Another thing that I love when it comes to sandwiches is a nice toasted, pressed bread outer layer, making the sandwich warm and adding that extra crunch and texture. If you're like me and love both BLTs and a perfectly toasted sandwich, then this one is for you.
It's a BLT but made even better with the addition of pesto and lots and lots of fresh mozzarella, all in between two pieces of perfectly toasted multigrain bread. So easy to make, so delicious, and still a classic!
When it comes to a BLT, your three main ingredients need to be prime and the best that you can find! For the bacon, I used apple wood spoked bacon to give it that extra depth and layer of flavor. I also made sure to cook the bacon so it's extra crisp and crunchy, which is the way I personally prefer it but whatever you like best is fine for this sandwich. For the lettuce, get some nice crisp green lettuce and you'll be good to go! Lastly, the tomatoes need to be the ripest tomatoes you can find, as they are one of the key ingredients when making this classic sandwich.
As for the remaining ingredients, the pesto recipe for this sandwich could not be easier to make, which is what we all want when whipping up a quick and easy, yet delicious sandwich. Once your pesto is made and ready to go, then it's just the fresh mozzarella left. I used a "log" of fresh mozzarella and just sliced it into thin slices for the sandwiches. Fresh mozzarella is the perfect cheese to add that extra layer of freshness to your sandwich.
After your sandwich is perfectly toasted, then you are good to go with this tasty lunch or dinner!
Your classic BLT with pesto, but make it toasted and add a heaping serving of fresh mozzarella in there too.
Servings: 2
1. Add the basil leaves, garlic, salt, and pepper for the pesto into a food processor and pulse into well mixed and combined. Add parmesan and pulse several times. Lastly, add in the olive oil and pulse until all ingredients are well combined.
2. Microwave the bacon until crispy, pausing in between minutes. Make sure to stack some paper towels on your plate in between the layers of bacon to help reduce the mess while microwaving the bacon.
3. Heat the chilled butter in a medium sized skillet on low to medium heat.
4. Lightly brush the outer side of each piece of bread with the melted butter.
5. Brush the inner side of each piece of bread with the pesto.
6. Layer the lettuce, tomato, bacon, and fresh mozzarella on two of the slices of the bread (one for each sandwich), dividing each of the ingredients listed by two so that both of the sandwiches have the same amount of each ingredient. Top with the other two pieces of bread, with the sides brushed with butter facing out, and the sides brushed with pesto on the inside.
7. Place sandwiches on skillet and cook for 4-5 minutes on each side or until golden brown, pressing each sandwich down with a spatula throughout, helping to crisp the bread.
8. Once both sides of the two sandwiches are golden and crispy, remove from pan. Slice both sandwiches in half. Drizzle with any remaining pesto if desired. Enjoy!
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