• Cookbook of the Month Recipe – Bikini "Pizza"

  Filed under Cookbook of the Month, Main Dishes - Sandwiches
  Dec 17
  

  I seem to be on a bit of a sandwich kick here – today I have a sandwich, and tomorrow I have a sandwich.  I guess that’s what happens when you don’t have the time or energy to make an all-out dinner!!

  And you probably saw the title of this recipe and are wondering why you see a sandwich instead of a pizza.  I was quite confused as well when I read through this recipe!!  Well, the introduction to the recipe says that “Bikini” is what Catalans call grilled cheese.  This recipe comes from a chef – Ferran Adria of El Bulli – and he claims that the flavors of this sandwich remind him of a pizza.  And bikinis are a very popular snack in Barcelona.  So, it’s still a bit of a crazy title, but at least it makes a little more sense now!

  This was a super easy sandwich to throw together.  Mine was a little bland, but as I explain below, I think it’s from the mozzarella that I chose.  I think that a sprinkling of salt and pepper would have probably made a huge difference for me.  But I love these flavors together and I would definitely play around with this sandwich again!

  Click below to continue reading
  Recipe Notes:

  • Buffalo mozzarella was no where to be found, so I used regular fresh mozzarella.  Well, I used a fresh mozzarella that I didn’t really care for – it didn’t have a ton of flavor to it.  I think this is a recipe that would benefit from a really good-quality cheese.
  • I cut up my sun-dried tomatoes because I didn’t want them to be too overpowering, but since the mozzarella was so bland, I probably could have gotten away with using the whole tomatoes.
  • I used my panini press instead of a pan and a weight, because it just made sense to me!

  Recipe Rating:  3.75 out of 5

  

  Bikini “Pizza” 
  from The New Spanish Table

  serves 4

  total time:  about 15 minutes

  8 slices best quality sourdough or white bakery bread
  8 ounces buffalo mozzarella, sliced
  1/2 cup drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, 4 teaspoons of their oil reserved
  4 small white mushrooms, thinly sliced
  4 large basil leaves
  2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

  Arrange 4 slices of the bread on a work surface and place 1 or 2 mozzarella slices on top of each.  Arrange the tomatoes on top, followed by the mushrooms.  Drizzle 1 teaspoon of the tomato oil over the mushrooms on each sandwich and top with a basil leaf.  Top each sandwich with a slice of bread.

  Heat a griddle over medium heat.

  Brush the sandwiches with the olive oil.  Place them on the griddle and top with a heavy pan or grill press.  Cook, turning once, until the bread is golden and crisp and the cheese is melted, 8 to 9 minutes.  Cut into halves or quarters and serve at once.

  Check out these other great grilled cheese sandwiches:
  Toasted Cheese Sandwich at Taste and Tell
  Grilled Goat Cheese with Roasted Red Pepper Pesto at Closet Cooking
  Panko Crusted Grilled Cheese & Tomato Sandwich at Fuss Free Cooking
  Ultimate Grilled Cheese Sandwich at Ezra Pound Cake
  Swiss Melt with Artichoke Hearts at GrilledShane

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  11 Comments

11 Responses to “Cookbook of the Month Recipe – Bikini "Pizza"”

1. 

   Julie said on December 17th, 2010 at 3:55 pm

   Looks like a delicious sandwich, and it's too funny that it's called a bikini

   [Reply]

2. 

   Rosa's Yummy Yums said on December 17th, 2010 at 4:24 pm

   Mmmhhh, I love the looks of that grilled sandwich!

   Cheers,

   Rosa

   [Reply]

3. 

   Joanne said on December 17th, 2010 at 5:27 pm

   To be honest, as long as I have melted cheese…I'm happy. You are going to get some interesting google searches with that title…

   [Reply]

4. 

   Georgia (The Comfort of Cooking) said on December 17th, 2010 at 6:12 pm

   This reminds me of my absolute favorite grilled sandwich, the caprese (minus the mushrooms)! Yours looks absolutely delicious and perfect for a light lunch. Thanks for sharing and reminding me I need to make something like this soon! Have a great weekend with your family.

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5. 

   Monet said on December 17th, 2010 at 6:23 pm

   The panini press makes more sense to me too! I love making grilled sandwiches…there is nothing like some mid-day melted cheese. Thank you for sharing this recipe with me. I hope you have a weekend full of relaxation and fun!

   [Reply]

6. 

   HollyL said on December 17th, 2010 at 6:34 pm

   This looks devine! I love grilled sandwiches!

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7. 

   Keersten said on December 17th, 2010 at 10:08 pm

   That looks so good. You can't beat the flavor of tomato, basil, and mozzarella. Definitely on my to-try list!

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8. 

   LimeCake said on December 18th, 2010 at 1:54 am

   That looks superb! I love grilled sandwiches and quesadillas!

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9. 

   grace said on December 19th, 2010 at 10:28 pm

   sun-dried tomatoes have an insane power over me. so does melted cheese, now that i think about it, so i don't stand a chance resisting this creation!

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10. 

    Natalie said on December 21st, 2010 at 4:29 pm

    I love spicing up a regular grilled cheese. This sounds SO good! I hope to make this over my Christmas break from work

    [Reply]

11. 

    Sara said on January 9th, 2011 at 2:25 am

    Oooh, this looks very yummy! Great combo of flavors in a sandwich, especially if you include the buffalo mozzarella (love that stuff!). Also love the name!!

    [Reply]

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