3702. FONTINA and MOZZARELLA GRILLED CHEESE with BACON and HONEY CRISP APPLES

makes four servings


12 slices bacon

8 slices fresh mozzarella, 1/4 inch thick
8 slices pumpernickel
1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
16 slices fontina, thinly sliced from the deli
1 Honey Crisp apple, peeled and sliced really thinly

 

Cook the bacon in a large saute pan over medium heat until brown and crispy on both sides. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels and reserve.

Preheat a griddle or nonstick saute pan to medium. Between two pieces of paper towels, pat dry the mozzarella.

Spread each piece of bread with a thin, even layer of butter. Spread the other side of each piece of bread with Dijon. Lay the bread down with the Dijon sides facing up on a baking sheet.

Place one slice of fontina, one slice of mozzarella and then another slice of fontina on each piece of bread. Lay 3 bacon slices on half of the slices of the cheese-lined bread. Top the bacon with an even layer of apple slices (these are the bottoms, the ones with just cheese are the tops--together they make a pair!).

Place the tops and bottoms on the griddle butter-side down and cook until the bread gets brown and crusty and the cheese begins to melt, 5 to 7 minutes. When the cheese is nice and melty, flip the tops onto the bottoms so the cheese is on the inside. Give each sandwich a press, flip over and cook for 1 to 2 minutes more.

Cut the sandwiches in half on the bias and serve hot.

bacon recipe source: Anne Burrell, "Scratching the Surface," Worst Cooks in America, Food Network