It is alarmingly difficult to find a good tomato, basil and mozzarella panini outside of Italy.  How glorious it would be to live in a city where I could find this incredibly delicious sandwich on any corner (along with, you know, that plethora of culture and stuff).  Here in Austin there are a handful of places that offer their version of the classic panini, one of which - from Lucky's Puccias - is life changing.  Life changing and mind-blowingly delicious?  Yes.  But classic panini-esque sandwich it is not.  When a mini cookbook from Bon Appetit arrived in the mail with this recipe on the cover, It seemed as if my mail was reading my mind.  They may call it the Ultimate Grilled Cheese Sandwich, but I know it's really a tomato, basil and mozzarella panini, albeit not technically panini-ed.  No matter, it's close enough to the real thing, and dare I say maybe even better than a Lucky's Puccia?  

ingredients

serves 2 (unless your bread is skinny like mine was… then it makes 4)

4 slices country white sourdough bread, cut on a deep diagonal into 1/2" thick slices (I used rustic Italian bread)

4 thin slices prosciutto

8 large fresh basil leaves

8 1/4"-thick slices drained fresh mozzarella cheese

1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil (or a bit less)

6 1/2"-thick slices heirloom tomato 

Butter 

Salt (I used Maldon sea salt)

method

1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 

2.  Lightly butter 1 side of each bread slice. Place 2 bread slices, buttered side down, on work surface. Top each with 2 prosciutto slices, then 4 basil leaves, then 4 cheese slices. Sprinkle with salt and crushed red pepper. Top with remaining 2 bread slices, buttered side up.

3.  Heat olive oil in heavy large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add sandwiches to skillet and cook until golden on bottom, about 4 minutes. Turn sandwiches over; transfer skillet to oven and bake until golden and cheese melts, about 5 minutes. Remove from oven.

4.  Carefully lift off top bread slices from sandwiches and insert 3 tomato slices into each, then cover with bread tops and serve.