Goat Cheese-Crusted Grilled Parrano with Peppers and Watercress
The fresh spicy heat of watercress sandwiched between melted gouda-like cheese and roasted peppers would be outrageously yummy enough as is. But this sandwich takes the flavor several notches higher with a crispy, cheesy crust of extra-aged goat cheese embedded in the bread. It’s easy to do with a little butter and Coach Farm’s Grating Stick of goat cheese. (If it’s not in your market, substitute Parmigiano Reggiano.)
Ingredients
- Softened butter for smearing and for the pan
- 2 slices Italian bread cut diagonally
- 2 - 3 tablespoons grated extra-aged goat cheese such as Coach Farm’s Grating Stick
- 1 - 2 ounces sliced Parrano cheese
- Sliced roasted red pepper
- A small handful of watercress leaves
Instructions
- Spread the butter on one side of each slice of bread. Put the grated goat cheese on a plate and dip each buttered side of bread in the grated cheese, pressing to help it adhere.
- Melt about a tablespoon of butter in a skillet over medium heat; add more if necessary to coat the bottom of the pan. When the butter is hot (but not smoking) put both slices of bread, grated-cheese side down, in the butter. Divide the Parrano cheese between both slices of bread, arranging the cheese on top. Reduce the heat to medium low, cover and cook until the cheese melts.*
- Slide one grilled cheese half onto a plate, top with the roasted pepper and the watercress. Flip the remaining grilled cheese half to place it on top and create a sandwich with golden crispy crust. Eat promptly!
Notes
*To avoid wilting the watercress, both slices of bread (topped with cheese) are grilled separately, a la open-face; then they’re sandwiched together with the peppers and watercress in between.
Elaine Khosrova
Elaine Khorova is the original Editor-in-Chief of culture magazine and the current recipe writer extraordinaire. She resides in the Hudson Valley of New York where she is working on a book about the history of butter.
