Summer Tomato, Mozzarella and Basil Panini with Balsamic Syrup

We actually made this quite a while ago and never blogged it but it's probably better that we waited and could perfect the process before posting. We LOVE this sandwich. Everything on it is super flavorful. Be careful when reducing the vinegar because if you do it too long it gets gross. Don't judge based on time but on amount. We used only the grill pan the first time we made it and the cheese didn't melt completely so the next time we wrapped it in foil and put it in the oven at 300 degrees for 10 minutes before using the grill pan for 5 minutes. It turned out perfect. 5 out of 5 stars.

Source: Cooking Light

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• ¹⁄₂ cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 (8-ounce) piece Cuban bread cut in half horizontally
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 12 large basil leaves
• 5 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese thinly sliced
• 2 medium tomatoes thinly sliced
• ¹⁄₄ teaspoon salt
• ¹⁄₈ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Cooking spray

Directions

1. Bring balsamic vinegar to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat; cook until reduced to 3 tablespoons (about 8 minutes). 2. While vinegar reduces, brush cut side of top half of bread with oil. Top evenly with basil, cheese, and tomatoes. Sprinkle evenly with salt and pepper. Brush cut side of bottom half of bread with reduced vinegar; place on top of sandwich. Invert sandwich. 3. Heat a large grill pan over medium-high heat. Coat the pan with cooking spray. Add sandwich to pan. Place a cast-iron or heavy skillet on top of sandwich, and gently press to flatten. Leave skillet on; cook 3 minutes on each side or until cheese melts and bread is toasted. Cut sandwich into 4 equal pieces.

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 325

Fat: 13.4g

Cholesterol: 28mg

Sodium: 726mg

Carbohydrate: 37.4g

Fiber: 2.5g

Protein: 13.6g