Bacon, Roasted Tomato, and Provolone Panini

You know what I love? Roasted tomatoes. I don’t think I’ve ever mentioned that before. (Oh. Wait.) I also love sandwiches, specifically the grilled kind, so putting roasted tomatoes on a panini seemed like a natural thing to do.

Frankly, I could have eaten just the roasted tomatoes slapped between two slices of bread, but to make things just a little bit more interesting for the rest of my family, I decided to add some other stuff to the panini too. Namely: bacon, so the sweet tomatoes would have a salty, smoky counterpart; gooey, melty provolone cheese, because every good sandwich needs cheese; and pesto mayonnaise, because I love the stuff and would eat it in just about any application, including directly off of a spoon. I put it all between two slices of hearty 12-grain bread, grilled it until crispy, and devoured it. And then I died from the deliciousness. Then I came back to life and ate another one. Then I died again. Do you see the pattern here?

(This recipe makes four sandwiches.)

Bacon, Roasted Tomato, and Provolone Panini

1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup prepared pesto

12 slices bacon
4 slices provolone cheese
8 slices 12-grain or other hearty bread

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a medium bowl toss the tomatoes with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. Line a baking sheet with foil and pour the tomatoes onto it. Place in preheated oven and cook for 10 to 12 minutes or until the tomato skins burst. Remove from oven and gently mash with a potato masher.

2. Meanwhile, cook bacon in a large skillet until crisp; drain on paper towels. Combine mayonnaise and pesto in a small bowl; set aside.

3. To assemble sandwiches, spread each slice of bread with the pesto mayonnaise. Top 4 slices with a piece of cheese, three slices of bacon, a quarter of the roasted tomatoes, and another slice of bread.

4. Cook on a panini press until bread is slightly browned and crisp.