Caprese Sandwich with Home-Made Pesto

By Lucia Ferrara

Don’t be intimidated when I tell you we’re going to be making fresh pesto. Once you learn how, you’ll be using pesto to dress up sandwiches, pastas and loads of other dishes.

And because this easy-to-make sandwich, which is perfect for a lunch or a weeknight supper when you are in a rush, is packed with all kinds of fresh ingredients, I guarantee your diners will be asking for seconds. Few of us, after all, can resist, melting cheese oozing from toasted bread.

Serve with soup or a salad and chips you’ve got a complete meal that is ready in 15 minutes.

If you’ve got leftover pesto, toss it with your favorite pasta and you’ve got yourself another side or even another meal.

Caprese Sandwich

● 1 loaf Italian bread, sliced
● 2 medium tomatoes sliced
● 1 small pkg fresh mozzarella cheese (8 oz)
● 1-2 cups chopped basil leaves

*Makes 3-4 sandwiches

Pesto

● 2 cups fresh basil
● ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
● 3-5 garlic cloves
● ¼ cup walnuts or pine nuts
● Salt and pepper to taste
● ½ cup extra virgin olive oil

*Equipment Needed: A food processer

All the articles and videos in the Cooking and Spirituality Series can be found here.

Cooking as a spiritual practice

I’d like to share with you a short poem about cooking and spirituality. Next time you’re at the kitchen counter slicing and dicing, scrubbing potatoes or the dishes, think about this. It comes from Mallika Chandrasekhar.

Cooking teaches a lot of spirituality.

It teaches us to marinate in our silences.
Cut our fears.
Wash our inferiorities.
Clean our minds of negative energies.
Slice, chop, grate our disappointments, regrets and doubts.
Cook and process our understanding and intellect.
Simmer with hope and love.
Finally to garnish with a great sense of humor.
And there — you are ready to be the perfect person you were always meant to be.

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[Lucia Ferrara, the Director of Hospitality at Precious Blood Renewal Center. Share your thoughts with Lucia or ask her questions using the form below or by sending an email to info@pbrenewalcenter.org.]

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