Mozzarella and pesto toasties

  • Portion size: Makes 4
  • Hands-on time 15 min, 
oven time 5 min
  • Difficulty: easy

The ultimate toasted sandwich, oozing with mozzarella and pesto and topped with crispy shards of parma ham. It’s a proper lazy Saturday lunch.

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Ingredients

  • 50g butter, softened
  • 
8 crusty white bread slices
  • 125g ball mozzarella, sliced
  • 125g hard (cooking) mozzarella, 
grated
  • 10 parma ham slices
  • Sunflower oil for frying
  • 2 medium free-range eggs
  • 1 tbsp milk

For the pesto

  • Large bunch fresh basil leaves
  • 30g toasted pine nuts
  • 50g parmesan, cut into small pieces
  • 3 glugs olive oil
  • Juice ½ lemon
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Method

  1. To make the pesto, whizz all the pesto ingredients in a food processor (or use a mini chopper or a pestle and mortar) and season to taste.
  2. Heat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6. Butter each slice of bread on one side, then put 4 slices on a board, butter-side down. Spread each with a thin layer of pesto, then top each with the mozzarella slices, grated mozzarella and parma ham (2 slices on each). Top with the remaining bread slices, butter-side up, pressing into a sandwich.
  3. Heat enough oil to cover the base of a large frying pan (or use a griddle pan). In
 a wide shallow bowl, whisk the eggs with the milk. Carefully dip the sandwiches into the beaten egg, turning to coat both sides. Fry one sandwich at a time for 
1 minute on each side until golden and the cheese has started to melt. Put each fried sandwich on a baking sheet while you fry the remaining sandwiches.
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  5. Bake in the oven for 5 minutes or until the cheese is oozing from between the bread. Add the remaining slices of parma ham to the same pan and fry for 3-4 minutes on a high heat until crisp. Serve the toasties with the remaining pesto, topped with shards of crispy ham.

Nutrition

  • 866kcals Calories
  • 56g (22.5g saturated) Fat
  • 38.2g Protein
  • 50.8g (3.4g sugars) Carbs
  • 3g Fibre
  • 3.4g Salt

Make Ahead

The pesto is best fresh but 
can be made up to 72 hours in advance. Make sure it’s covered by a thin layer of olive oil and keep in 
a sealed container in the fridge. Use leftovers for pasta or with meat/fish.

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