Grilled Aged Cheddar Cheese Sandwich with Pistachio Sage Pesto
Emily Weinberger
Photo by James Ransom
- Serves
- 1 Cup Pesto, 4 Sandwiches
I hate throwing away ingredients. Plain hate it. So when I had three bushels of sage and a large container of shelled pistachios in the pantry, I knew something delicious could be created. I put my husband to work de-shelling all the pistachios (the dirty work) and within minutes I had this delicious pesto. It was a cold November day and all we wanted was some comfort food, so we slathered some sourdough with the pesto and topped it with a sharp, aged cheddar. The perfect combination and definitely a nap worthy treat!
Ingredients
For the Pesto
- I cup sage
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/2 cup shelled pistachios
- 1 1/2 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 1/2 lemon)
- 3/4 cup olive oil
For the Sandwiches
- 8 slices of your favorite sourdough bread
- 1 tablespoon pistachio sage pesto
- 2 teaspoon applesauce
- 1/4 pound sharp, aged cheddar cheese, sliced
- 1 tablespoon butter
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Directions
Instructions
- Step 1
For the Pesto: In the bowl of a food processor, combine the first 4 ingredients. Pulse until well blended. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while the processor is running. Season to your liking.
- Step 2
For the Sandwich: 1. On one piece of bread, spread the pesto in an even layer using a knife or spoon. Spread the applesauce on top of the pesto. Lay the cheese on top on the spreads. Top with another slice of bread. Spread 1/2 tsp butter on the top slice of bread. Repeat this for the remaining three sandwiches.
- Step 3
Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium high heat and add the remaining butter to the pan. Once the butter is sizzling, place the non-butter side of the sandwich in the pan. You may need to do this two at a time. It is important to not over crowd the pan.
- Step 4
Heat for 5-6 minutes on one side until golden brown and the cheese begins to melt. Using a spatula, flip the sandwich to the other side and press down with spatula. Heat for another 3-4 minutes until golden brown and the cheese has been completely melted.