The Big Ragu

by: Alison Duggins
The Big Ragu
So I’ve been obsessed with this grilled cheese thing ever since I came across this idea from cheese goddess Laura Werlin. Here is my Italian riff on her amazing double grilled cheese with tomato jam.
We picked up some cheese from Trader Joe’s along with their rustic half boule. How they make such an amazing slightly sour breadzilla out of just whole wheat flour, water and salt is beyond me. I also had a couple tomatoes in the produce bowl that were starting to look like Bruce Jenner so it was a perfect time to throw together a little tomato compote.
A few more notes on this recipe, go big or go home. Use real butter please, here we used an unsalted butter from Croatia where the cows really are happy and even boast greater biodiversity, whatever that means to a cow. Don’t spend a fortune on designer cheese from Parma for this one. It just needs to be pungent, salty and aged. TJ’s brand will do, along with their Fontina. Buy a piece of each and shred it yourself, never ever EVER buy pre-shredded cheese. I don’t want to get into it now, but just don’t do it Amounts below are just suggested, but cheese makes its own rules so pile it as high as you as want you little piggy.

Recommended listening for cooking this one: Soundtrack from Goodfellas, particularly the piano outro from Layla. Pair this grilled fantastico with a robust and jammy Italian red. No I don’t mean some weirdo from La Nostra Lotta, I mean something like 2008 Nerelo Del Bastardo which is aplty named, sort of a poor man’s Borolo. Peidmont for around 8 bucks, like a hard-on in church… you can’t beat it.

Mise en place:
2 Tbsp of butter
4 oz grated fresh Parmesan or Grana Padano
4 oz grated Fontina
4 slices sourdough bread
2 tbls Tomato Basil Compote (see below)

Method: Work half the Parm into the softened butter, a fork and some passive aggression work well for this. Spread one side of the sandwich with the compote. Then sprinkle some Parm and Fontina shreds, pressing into the compote. Top with the other slice and slather it with the butter and cheese mixture. Pick it up and carefully slap it buttered side down onto a nonstick pan on medium low heat and cover with a lid. After a few minutes grab a spatula and peek under the hood. If it’s browning up nice, go ahead and slather the top slice with some more butter cheese mixture and flip it like the Senate. Wait what? Ok so now replace the lid and let the other side crisp up for a few more minutes while you dance around singing Tony Bennett’s Rags to Riches liek you’re Carmine Ragusa. If you don’t know who that is, you didn’t watch enough Nick at Night.
All that’s left is one more flip, a gentle press and leave the lid off for the final minute or so. The texture and color we’re looking for on the outside is like an obnoxious Miami tan, similar to the neighbor lady in There’s Something About Mary. Once it looks all good and melted and crispy, slide it out onto a cutting board and let it rest. Press track forward until you get to Bobby Darin Beyond the Sea and slow dance your cat around the living room until it gets pissed at you and arabesques out of your arms onto the couch. About 30 seconds. Now we’re ready to refill the wine glass, lightly dress some mixed greens with olive, lemon, salt an pepper and fuck this sandwich up. Track forward again to Layla. Mangia.

Tomato Basil Compote
2 large Roma tomatoes, halved
I shallot cut into rings
2 cloves garlic, pulverized with salt
2 tbsp white vinegar
Juice of half a lemon
10 or so basil leaves cut into chiffonade
S&P
Olive oil
Method: Get a pan nice and hot, like medium high. Press the tomatoes onto the hot surface with intention, we’re looking for some browning here. Then add a little olive oil to the pan and flip the tomatoes to the skin side, let them spatter and complain. Beat them up a little with a wooden spoon. Add the shallots and garlic and a little water if it’s getting to dry. Beat it up some more. Let it all cook and soften and go from watery tomato juice to a thickened jam like texture. Add the remaining ingredients, turn off the heat and leave it to cool.

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