When it comes to grilled cheese, it’s go big or go home! Am I right? I’m pretty sure the song “This Is It!” by Kenny Loggins would have been written about this Grilled Cheese Italiano had he known about it back in 1979…
This. Is. It.
Dom and I are always messin’ with creating the perfect grilled cheese. All butter… butter and mayo… soft white bread… cheddar and American…etc. etc. etc….
Welp, if you haven’t guessed already – our days of searching for the perfect grilled cheese sandwich are over.
As a result of a gorgeous dinner at my favorite Italian restaurant Saturday night, the inspiration for this grilled cheese was born. Like many Italian restaurants worth their weight in gold – Rosalie’s Cucina serves fresh Italian bread with a dipping sauce made of fruity olive oil and a cheesy garlic-herb mixture that folks can enjoy while sipping their first glass of Chianti and perusing the menu.
Dingdingdingding.
Who would have thought that the combination of equal parts minced fresh garlic, red pepper flakes, shredded Parmesan and oregano…a mixture we’ve been eating and loving for years…would be the perfect accompaniment to grilled Italian bread smothered in shredded mozzarella and fontina cheese? Of course it’s perfect! Why wouldn’t it be? How did we not think of this sooner?
So yes – glory day, right? Not so fast! We’ve got the melty tasty insides covered but what about the crunch. I mean really – what’s more important than the crunch of the bread? Without that – you could coddle surf-n-turf between your bread and it wouldn’t matter.
We’ve got you covered.
Are you ready? Are you sitting?
Part butter – part duck fat. Yeppppp!
We started by spreading equal parts butter and duck fat on one side of each slice of bread then dropped the buttered side into a screaming hot cast iron pan and let the bread sizzle until golden brown and crunchy.
Once the bread is golden brown and crunchy (and not until then) top with your shredded cheese and herbs then throw under the broiler set to high until everything’s melted. I learned this little trick from Bon Appétit. They introduced me to the technique of browning the bread on the stove top first then melting the cheese in the oven second. Why is this important? Have you ever noticed that the bread tends to brown before the cheese even begins to melt? This way, bread is browned to your liking and cheese gets perfectly melted and the sandwich is warm right out of the oven. Per-fec-tion.
Once your cheese is all melty and perfect…carefully remove the pan from the oven.
Take pictures.
Send said pictures to friends and family… They’ll thank you and probably be at your door faster than you can say Grilled Cheese Italiano.
Close up your sammie.
And call it the best grilled cheese you’ve ever had.
I know I’ve used that description before, but my friends, you gotta trust me on this one.
So happy that National Grilled Cheese Day finally got here….
It’s hard to wait an entire year for this perfect holiday!
Buon Appetito!
Print
Grilled Cheese Italiano
- Category: Comfort Food
Ingredients
- 1 – 2 tsp. minced garlic
- 1 – 2 tsp. red pepper flakes
- 1 – 2 tsp. dried oregano
- 1 – 2 tsp. grated Parmesan
- 1 Tbsp. soft butter, divided
- 1 Tbsp. D’Artagnan duck fat, divided
- 2 slices crusty Italian bread
- 1/3 cup shredded mozzarella
- 1/3 cup shredded fontina
Instructions
- Set broiler to High.
- Combine minced garlic, red pepper flakes, oregano and Parmesan in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Place cast iron or heavy bottomed skillet on stove top over medium high heat.
- Butter one side of each slice of bread with 1/2 Tbsp. butter and 1/2 Tbsp. duck fat.
- Place buttered side down in the pan and let cook for about 3 minutes until bread gets golden and crunchy.
- Remove from heat and top one slice with the mozzarella, the other slice with fontina then sprinkle the herb mixture over top.
- Place under broiler for about 1 minute until cheese melts.
- Remove from the oven.
- Close to make a sandwich.
- Serve immediately.
CIAO!
#nationalgrilledcheeseday
This is the grilled cheese of my dreams, Annie! The duck fat sounds soooo delicious, I definitely need to give that a try!
I highly recommend it. I can’t sing its praises enough! 🙂 Thanks, Danielle!!
I’m seriously into grilled cheese – it’s debatably my favorite food, and this one looks SPECTACULAR! Seriously drooling over here, girl!
I think we have a lot of serious grilled cheese eaters around here! Love it! Thanks, Rachel!
DUDE. Seriously drooling over here- your grilled cheese looks phenomenal! Pinning 🙂
Hahaha! Thanks, Medha!! Appreciate that!! 🙂
Like whoa! Cheesy heaven! Those are the first words that came to mind when I saw this beautifully golden, melty perfection of a grilled cheese sammie, Annie! Loooooooooove! Using duck fat and butter sounds deliciously decadent! And I’m loving your Italiano mixture inside! I can almost taste this bad boy through my computer screen! Serious drool happening over here! Need.now! Pinned! Cheers, lovely! Xo
Cheesy heaven is right! This is a sandwich I’m going to have to schedule in or I’ll want to make it everyday of my life! Thanks, friend! xo
OMG!!! That looks amazing…All my chef friends are using duck fat as well – for everything…Gotta get me some…
Thanks, Deb!! I see why they’re using it so much! It’s an incredible ingredient! Almost magical…
Red pepper flakes are genius, Annie. Sometime I think a grill cheese is a little bland and never would have thought of adding red pepper flakes. Will definitely be trying this this weekend! Pinning too!
Fabulous! I think you’re going to love it, Geraldine! You might want to make two…;)
Whoa. This is a SERIOUS grilled cheese sandwich with my name written all over it. Where would one find duck fat? Not sure if I’ve seen it in the grocery store before but I’ve never really looked! It’s awesome when restaurant dishes inspire us to create amazing things!!
It does indeed have your name written all over it! Thanks, friend! Duck fat is sold at many grocery stores and dartragnan.com. 🙂 Crunch-crunch!!
Annie, this is such a wonderful take on grilled cheese! I personally love red pepper flakes and my little girl loves grilled cheese sandwiches in a fierce way and if I made this one for her with fresh garlic and red pepper flakes, I might just win her mother-of-the-year award and enjoy a grilled cheese myself!
You’ll definitely win and definitely deserve a sandwich or two for yourself! Thanks, my friend!!
This IS it, you’re so right Annie! Grilled cheese is something I wish I could eat every day for lunch (because what is better than melted cheese, crusty bread, and lot of butter?!) – and this one looks exceptionally delicious! I can only imagine how much flavor the duck fat adds — YUM! This is perfect for the rainy day we’re having today.
Oh yes – it’s definitely perfect rainy day food! Thanks, pal!
Holy Grilled Cheese Sammy Batman! Look at that crunch appeal! Love these technique tips, thanks. It’s perfection to me. I need to find this duck fat…
Thanks, friend! Duck fat is sold at many grocery stores and dartragnan.com. 🙂 Crunch-crunch!!
Ever since reading about your Tater Tot secret (Duck Fat) I ordered some. So I have all the ingredients to make this delicious sandwich. Oops! I’ve got to make some good Italian bread to hold all of the oooey gooey cheese . Thank you (I think) for the best grilled cheese recipe.
Yesss! That is happiness! I tell you what – I’ll grate the cheese and ready the pan, you bring the homemade bread and wine! 🙂
This grilled cheese is out of this world, it is only 10:00 and you guys have me craving a grilled cheese sandwich like that, amazing cheese, spices and bread all toasted and chewy ooey and gooey good. Sold I will have 10.
Great work!
Loreto
10 it is!!! If I don’t eat them first! Thank you so much, Loreto! 🙂
OH.MY.GAWD! This sandwich looks so amazing I can’t even tell you! I love the Italian seasoning you added to zest up the taste….and that golden brown bread! Amazing!
Hahaha! Thank you so much, Kim!!!! I appreciate your response! And so happy you appreciate its flavor through the post! It’s so good!!!!
Oh my gosh. This is definitely it!! I’m in grilled cheese heaven looking at this. And I really like that Bon Appetit trick! Excuse my drool!
You’re excused! 🙂 Thank you so much, my friend! This is a yummy one!
I need that restaurant in my life. That dipping sauce for the bread sounds INCREDIBLE.
And this is beyond, Annie. I cannot even. It’s time to open your own restaurant!
Everyone needs a Rosalie’s….for the bread alone! You are toooo kind, my friend! Thank you so much! xo
Wow wow wow! You have had me at grillled cheese. And this grilled cheese italiano looks droolicious my friend. Beautiful and delicious recipe, can’t wait to try!
You nailed it – droolicious! I like that descriptor!! Thank you, my friend! 🙂
This looks awesome!! Can’t wait to try it. You are right – the ingredients sound perfect!
Thank you so much, Elaine! I hope you try it! 🙂
Oh my gosh, Annie! You are making me hungry! That sandwich looks so scrumptious. It should be national grilled cheese day every day! I’ve never had mayo on a grilled cheese, but I bet the duck fat is unreal. And, of course, I’m a huge fan of butter…and cheese…and bread. You know, all the good stuff, lol. Pinning this beauty. Can’t wait to try 🙂
Butter…cheese…bread…what else do we need in life? Thanks, my friend!! 🙂
Wow! This looks like a perfect combination of crunchy goodness and gooey cheesiness! I think you have nailed the absolute perfect grilled cheese……and who knew there was a national grilled cheese day?
Why thank you, my dear! It’s incredible! A few years ago I bought myself a book on food holidays…one of the best purchases I’ve ever made! 😉
Oh I’ve heard of using just mayo on grilled cheese, but never duck fat…very interesting! I will have to try that out! And this definitely looks like the ultimate grilled cheese. I’m in love with that melty cheese, gets me every time!
Gets me every time! And I tell you what – that butter and duck fat mixture…oh mannnn! Good stuff! 🙂