Grilled Cheese Pageant Contestant!

When my friend Michelle shared the link to the Grilled Cheese Pageant, I was geeked to submit a recipe.

I thought, ooo a Mexican Grilled Cheese...one with a chipotle spread...maybe some fresh avocado slices? Then I thought what about a good American Grilled Cheese? My humorous father suggested the plastic wrapped cheese slices, surrounded by Wonder Bread torn by butter, fried to death and then take a side picture with the cheese oozing out. "That's a grilled cheese", he said. "None of this foo-foo bull*&^%". LOL.

I decided to go with an Italian version of Grilled Cheese. Served on a Rosemary Onion Foccacia Bread that is topped with carmelized onions. The filling is hot capicola ham, 3 cheeses (Grana Pradano, Canadian White Cheedar, and real Fontina). The bread is smeared with a roasted red pepper spread that is oooo laa laa yummy.

Serves 2

Rosemary Onion Foccacia
Use your bread machine to make the dough. But hand shape and bake in your oven.
3 cups flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
2 teaspoons salt
1/3 cup olive oil
1 1/4 cups water
1/3 cup fresh rosemary leaves
1 tablespoon yeast

Add your ingredients in order according to your bread machine instructions. Program for dough or manual. Remove from the machine, shape into a large round and place on a greased cookie sheet. Let rise for about 30 minutes. Dent the dough with your fingers for the traditional foccacia look, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle the carmelized onions over the top.

Bake at 450 for 10 minutes and then finish the baking at 350 for about 15 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool, use half for the 2 sandwiches and freeze or snack on the remainder.

Roasted Red Pepper Spread
1 cup roasted red peppers
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons fresh parsley leaves
Sprinkle of salt, pepper, and garlic powder

Pulse in food processor a few times, just until chunky. Let meld about 30 minutes before using.

Grilled Cheese
Have 2-3 leaves of crisp romaine lettuce
1 small tomato, sliced and sprinkled with salt and pepper
1/2 pound hot capicola ham, sliced thin
4 ounces fontina cheese, sliced
4 ounces white cheddar (extra-sharp), sliced
2 ounces grana pradano cheese, grated

Slice the foccacia bread in half to open for a sandwich. Spread the bottom half with some roasted pepper spread. Lay capicola and cheese on top.

Bake in oven at 375F until the cheese is broiled and melted. During the last 5 minutes of baking, set the foccacia tops in the oven on an empty shelf just to toast up a bit.

Remove from oven, let cool 2-3 minutes and meanwhile, spread the remaining roasted pepper mix onto the "lid bread".

Add romaine lettuce and tomato slices and top with the lid. Serve. Eat. Love.