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Spicy Grilled Cheese Bread

PAT I refer to this dish as “sophisticated cheese toast.” Gina and I actually got the idea from a famous Memphis restaurant, though in our version we make it with baguettes, because we are going to grill these puppies, and baguettes can withstand the heat. Now, you can use any cheese you like, but on my spicy grilled cheese bread, we must have Parmesan and mozzarella.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    serves 6 to 8

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon crushed red-pepper flakes, or more to taste
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 slices baguette, sliced 1/2 inch thick on the diagonal
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup grated mozzarella cheese

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Preheat the grill to medium-high heat.

    Step 2

    Combine the olive oil, garlic, red-pepper flakes, salt, and pepper in a ramekin. Brush both sides of the bread with the oil. Grill the bread on each side for 2 or 3 minutes, until nice grill marks appear. For the final minute of grilling, evenly top the bread slices with both cheeses, and close the grill so the cheese will melt. Remove the baguette slices from the grill to a platter.

Image may contain: Pat Neely, Human, Person, Food, Meal, Restaurant, Cafeteria, and Buffet
Reprinted with permission from The Neelys' Celebration Cookbook by Pat and Gina Nelly. Copyright © 2011 by Pat and Gina Nelly with Anna Volkwein. Excerpted by permission of Knopf, a division of Random House, Inc. All rights reserved. Pat and Gina Neely are restaurateurs, best-selling authors, popular speakers, and hosts of the Food Network hit series Down Home with the Neelys. They recently opened their first New York City restaurant, Neely's Barbecue Parlor. They live with their daughters in Memphis, where they enjoy cooking at home with family and friends. Ann Volkwein is a best-selling food and lifestyle author based in New York City and Austin, Texas. Her previous books include: The Arthur Avenue Cookbook, Chinatown New York, Mixt Greens (with Andrew Swallow), and, with Guy Fieri: Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives; More Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives; and Guy Fieri Food.
TagsParmesanCheeseDairyMozzarellaSideDinnerLunchNut FreeVegetarianQuickEasyWeeknight Meals5 Ingredients or FewerGrillingCookbooks
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