- Rachael Ray's non profit organization, Yum-o! - https://www.yum-o.org -

Italian-Style Grilled Cheese and Spinach Sandwiches



Ingredients


  • 1 box chopped, frozen spinach, defrosted and wrung dry in a clean dish towel
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • Salt and pepper
  • Freshly grated nutmeg, to taste
  • 1 cup fresh sheep or cow’s milk ricotta
  • 1/3-1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese (a couple of handfuls)
  • 2 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped
  • Good-quality salted butter, melted
  • 8 slices hand-cut, good-quality bread, sliced 1/2-inch thick
  • 8 deli-slices provolone cheese
  • 8 deli-slices mozzarella cheese, such as Wisconsin


Directions


  1. Separate the spinach to loosen the leaves after drying. Heat the EVOO in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and stir for 2 minutes; add the spinach and combine. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Remove from the heat.
  2. Stir together the ricotta, Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, salt, pepper and thyme.
  3. Liberally brush one side of each slice of bread with melted butter.
  4. Build the sandwiches: A slice of bread with the buttered side down, two slices provolone, some spinach, the ricotta-parm mixture, two slices mozzarella and another slice of bread with the buttered side up.
  5. Heat a griddle over medium heat. Grill the sandwiches until the cheese is melted and they’re deeply golden.