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If you’ve ever wondered what Stanley Tucci’s last meal would be, you’ve come to the right place. I interviewed Stanley for my Desert Island Dishes podcast, and he did not disappoint as he led us through the 7 dishes that have shaped his life. In every podcast interview I do, there tends to be one standout dish, and for Stanley Tucci‘s episode, it was all about his favorite sandwich. Let me tell you about this toasted prosciutto and melty cheese sandwich with fresh basil pesto.
Table of Contents
On the podcast, we find out about the seven desert island dishes that have shaped his life and how he got to where he is today. And if you’re wondering…in person, he’s everything you think he might be and more.
This was a dream episode to record. I should also say at this point that all of Stanley’s dishes were noteworthy. You can listen to the episode here. He described the most delicious tomato and bean pasta, essentially Stanley Tucci’s Pasta Fagioli, which has become a favorite in my house. It’s really so delicious, as you would expect.
Why you’ll love this sandwich
- It’s really simple but with loads of flavor.
- It takes 15 minutes start to finish, making this a perfect quick, lazy dinner or lunch.
- The sandwich can be customized based on what you have, but it gives you a great baseline recipe.
Ingredients
- Sourdough – Or any crusty loaf. You want something with some chew and some thickness because there are a lot of fillings in the sandwich, and a classic sandwich bread would risk falling apart.
- Fresh mozzarella – This is made from cow’s milk, but if you get the really good Italian stuff, it’s often made with buffalo milk, which is even more delicious.
- Grated cheese – Cheddar/Gruyere or grated mozzarella works well. This is where you want the stronger-flavored cheese. Mozzarella is perfect for melting and for creaminess, but it lacks a strong flavor, so complementing it with another cheese works well.
- Fresh basil pesto – This is made with fresh basil and tends to have a less intense flavor than the jarred pesto. I do also love jarred pesto, but I find that it’s a little strong for this sandwich.
- Prosciutto – This is a salty, cured ham from Italy. It has a delicious salty tang that is perfect with the creamy mozzarella.
- Basil leaves – In the podcast, Stanley says he usually does either the pesto or the basil, but I went for both because how could both be wrong?
- Butter – Spread on either side of the bread to ensure a crispy exterior. You could also use mayo, as that helps the bread turn golden and toasty too.
Substitutions and variations
Prosciutto – You could replace this with another cured meat like bresaola, serrano ham, salami, or speck. Or even just cooked ham would also be good.
Pesto – Making this with sun-dried tomato pesto or chili pesto would be delicious.
How to make this toasted prosciutto and mozzarella sandwich
Here’s a quick visual guide — the full recipe with exact measurements is below.
ONE: Lay the grated cheese, prosciutto, and fresh mozzarella on one slice of bread.
TWO: Top with fresh basil leaves and pesto. Or one or the other, it’s up to you! Sandwich the other half of bread on top.
THREE: Butter the exterior of the sandwich evenly. This will ensure it turns golden in the pan.
FOUR: Crisp up the sandwich in a pan over medium heat for around 5 minutes per side.
Tips from Margie’s kitchen
- Be patient: The key to a delicious toasted sandwich is patience. You don’t want the heat on super high so that the exterior burns before the interior has a chance to melt. Keep the sandwich on a gentle medium heat so that it can turn golden and melt the middle nicely.
Frequently asked questions
You could broil or air fry the sandwich. Leave it open-faced to melt the cheese initially. Then sandwich it together and cook for a few more minutes to toast the exterior too.
Other recipes you might enjoy
Try my Goat’s Cheese and Ham Focaccia Sandwich; it has apricot jam for the sweet contrast. My Chicken Parmesan Sandwich is world famous too: crispy chicken, tomato sauce, pesto mayo. YUM! I also love this recipe for Crispy Chicken Caesar Sandwich and this Chicken Mayonnaise Sandwich as well. For something sweet and a little different, try this Japanese Strawberry Sandwich.
Easy Lamb Recipes
One-Pan Slow Cooked Lamb with Baby Potatoes & Oregano
Pancake Recipes
Kaiserschmarrn (Traditional Austrian Pancakes)
High Protein Recipes
High Protein Dinner Recipes
Easy Baking Recipes
Cornflake Dream Cake with Mini Eggs
If you tried Stanley Tucci’s Favorite Sandwich or any other recipe on the site, please do leave a rating or comment and let us know how it went!
Stanley Tucci’s Favorite Sandwich
Ingredients
- 2 slices good sourdough, or other crusty bread
- 1/2 ball of fresh mozzarella, sliced
- 1 handful of grated cheddar, mozzarella, Gruyère, use what you have – optional but using both gives you a good melty middle and good flavor
- 2 tbsp fresh basil pesto
- 3 slices of prosciutto
- 4-5 basil leaves, to top
- Butter
Instructions
- Heat a pan over low-medium heat. Take the first slice of bread and spread butter on one side. Flip the slice over (so the butter side is down) and top with grated mozzarella, prosciutto, fresh sliced mozzarella, basil leaves, and pesto.
- Sprinkle with salt and pepper and top with the other slice of bread. Butter the top side of the bread.
- Place in the pan and fry for 5 minutes per side, to get a super crunchy outside and melty inside.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Looks amazing. But I’m thinking that you meant basil leaves and pesto? Imma make it.