20 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
* 8 (1/2-inch thick) slices country-style sourdough bread
* 12 ounces Monterey jack, farmhouse Cheddar, Gruyere or imported Swiss cheese, thinly sliced
* 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
Ad-ins--choose one:
* 8 slices smoked bacon, cooked and broken into 1-inch pieces,
* 2 vine-ripened tomatoes, sliced and drained on paper towels for 5 minutes, or
* 8 slices baked ham
Directions
Heat a large skillet over medium-low heat. Place 4 slices of sourdough bread on a cutting board and generously butter the top side of each slice. Melt another tablespoon of the butter in the skillet, swirl around to coat the pan with butter.
Lay 2 slices of sourdough bread (buttered side down) in the skillet. Put a few slices of the cheese on the bread. Lay the bacon, tomato or ham on top of the cheese. Cover with a few more slices of cheese. Top with 2 of the remaining slices of sourdough bread (placed buttered-side up). Cook without pressing until the bread browns and the cheese is slightly melted, about 5 minutes. Turn the sandwiches with a spatula and add a small hazelnut-size piece of butter to the pan. Cook slowly, adjusting the heat as needed to melt the cheese completely before the sandwiches are brown, about 3 to 4 minutes more. Repeat with the other 2 sandwiches.
