lunch hack / recipes

Italian Sausage Grilled Cheese

Italian Sausage Grilled Cheese

Ingredients

Ragu
• 1lb / 500g Sausage Meat
• 1x 14oz/400g can of Skinned Plum Tomatoes, roughly diced in the can
• 1/4 cup / 60ml Red Wine
• 1 tbsp Tomato Paste
• 1 small White Onion, finely diced
• 2 cloves of Garlic, finely diced
• 1 sprig EACH: Fresh Rosemary, Fresh Basil (can sub 1/4-1/2 tsp of each dried)
• Olive Oil, for frying
• Salt & Black Pepper, to taste

Grilled Cheese
• 6 slices of Pane Turano
• Slices of mozzarella
• 1/2 cup / 40g freshly grated Parmesan
• Butter, as needed
• Fresh Parsley, to serve (optional)


Directions

① In a large pan over medium heat, add a drizzle of oil then add finely diced onion. Fry for a few mins until it begins to soften, then add in garlic and fry for another couple of mins. Add in sausage meat and break up with your wooden spoon. Continue frying until fully browned
② Stir in tomato paste and fry for 1-2mins, then pour in wine and use your wooden spoon to deglaze the pan. Allow the meat to soak in the wine for a few mins, then pour in tomatoes (swill out can with a splash of water) and add basil, rosemary and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Give a stir then turn down heat slightly to a gentle simmer and allow the sauce to reduce for 30-40mins, or until very thick. This is important, you don't want a watery ragu in your sandwich! Once thickened leave to one side to cool slightly and remove rosemary/basil stalks.
③ Prep Sandwich: Butter one side of each of your slices of Pane Turano. Flip half of them over and top with mozzarella. Spoon over some ragu, then sprinkle over parmesan. Top with bread butter-side-up.
④ Cook Sandwich: Add sandwiches to a pan over medium heat and fry both sides until golden with the cheese just starting to leak out. You may need to do this in batches.

Send this to a friend