Pear, Pecorino, and Prosciutto Panini

If you prefer cooked prosciutto, sauté it until it's crisp. You'll add some crunch to this sandwich. Parmigiano-Reggiano is a good substitute for pecorino Romano cheese.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 sandwich quarter)

Ingredients

• 1  firm, ripe pear, peeled, cored, and cut into 8 wedges
• 1/2  teaspoon  sugar
• 1  (12-ounce) loaf focaccia, cut in half horizontally
• 4  teaspoons  balsamic vinegar
• 1  cup  trimmed arugula
• 1/2  cup  (2 ounces) fresh pecorino Romano cheese, shaved
• 16  very thin slices prosciutto (about 4 ounces)

Preparation

Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add pear to pan, and sprinkle with sugar. Cook 2 minutes on each side or until golden.

Brush cut sides of bread with vinegar. Arrange pear slices, arugula, cheese, and prosciutto evenly over bottom half of bread; cover with top half of bread.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add stuffed loaf to pan. Place a cast-iron or heavy skillet on top of stuffed loaf; press gently to flatten. Cook 4 minutes on each side or until bread is toasted (leave cast-iron skillet on stuffed loaf while it cooks). Cut into quarters.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

383 (29% from fat)

Fat:

12.3g (sat 5.3g,mono 2.7g,poly 1.7g)

Protein:

18.7g

Carbohydrate:

50.8g

Fiber:

2.7g

Cholesterol:

40mg

Iron:

2.8mg

Sodium:

1019mg

Calcium:

178mg