This sandwich made of mozzarella, tomato, and basil is my version of a BLT. It’s simple, quick, and oh so yummy! The term alla Margherita was invented in 1889 when an official from the royal palace asked a local to make pizzas for Queen Margherita. Her favorite was the one made with three toppings: tomato (red), cheese (white), and basil (green)—the tricolore of the Italian flag. So anything using those three toppings is known as alla Margherita.

　　

Ingredients

makes 1 sandwich

　　1 slice fresh mozzarella cheese (1/2 inch thick; about 2 ounces)

　　2 slices rustic white bread (each 1/2 inch thick)

　　1/8 teaspoon salt

　　Freshly ground black pepper to taste

　　6 medium-size fresh basil leaves or 3 large

　　2 slices tomato (1/4 inch thick)

　　About 2 teaspoons olive oil

　　

Step 1

Place the mozzarella cheeze atop 1 bread slice, and sprinkle with half of the salt and some pepper. Top with the basil leaves, then the tomato slices. Sprinkle with the remaining half of the salt and some more pepper, and top with the second bread slice. Brush both sides of the sandwich with the oil.

　　

Step 2

Preheat a griddle or a ridged grill pan over a medium-low flame. Grill the sandwich until the bread is golden brown and the cheese melts, pressing down with a metal spatula, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer the sandwich to a plate and serve.

　　Reprinted with permission from Everyday Italian: 125 Simple and Delicious Recipes by Martha Stewart Living Magazine. Copyright © 2005 by Giada De Laurentiis. Published by Crown Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved.Giada De Laurentiis is the star of Food Network's Everyday Italian and Behind the Bash. She attended the Cordon Bleu in Paris, and then worked in a variety of Los Angeles restaurants, including Wolfgang Puck's Spago, before starting her own catering and private-chef company, GDL Foods. The granddaughter of movie producer Dino De Laurentiis, Giada was born in Rome and grew up in Los Angeles, where she now lives.