Caprese Panini with Olive Tapenade Recipe

Translate the classic flavors of a Caprese salad to a crispy, tasty panini. Start by searing halved tomatoes in a grill pan until they are softened and browned. Spread crusty slices of crusty bread with briny olive tapenade then layer the bread with warm tomatoes, shredded mozzarella, and fresh basil leave.

Brush the bread with oil and cook the panini in the grill pan until the bread is toasted and crisp (and the mozzarella is melted and gooey. To mimic a panini press, weigh down the the panini with a Dutch oven so they cook evenly and develop distinct grill marks.

Use rustic, artisanal bread for this recipe (do not use a baquette). Look for a wide loaf that will yield big slices. The attractive grill marks provide an appealing appearance.

Preheat 12-inch nonstick grill pan over medium heat for 2 minutes. (Droplets of water should just sizzle when flicked onto pan-) Toss tomatoes, 1 tablespoon oil, salt, and pepper together. Place tomatoes, cut side up, in pan and weight with Dutch oven, Cook until tomatoes are softened and browned on first side, about 5 minutes. Transfer tomatoes to plate and wipe pan clean.

Spread olive tapenade evenly over 1 side of each slice of bread. Assemble 2 sandwiches by layering ingredients as follows between prepared bread (with olive tapenade inside sandwich: half of mozzarella, cooked tomatoes, basil, ana remaining mozzarella. Press gently on sandwiches to set.

Reheat now-empty pan over medium heat for one minute. Brush outside of sandwiches lightly with remaining tablespoon oil. Place sandwiches in pan and weight with Dutch oven. Cook sandwiches until bread is golden’ brown and crispy on both sides and cheese is melted, about 4 minutes per. side. Serve.

Caprese Panini with Olive Tapenade Recipe – Ingredients

3 tomatoes, cored and halved
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive off
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons olive tapenade
4 (½-inch-thick) slices crusty bread
4 ounces mozzarella cheese; shredded (1 cup)
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves