Easy Recipes for the Grill & Cucina – Paggi Pazzo

Occasionally when I grill steak there may be some left over (this rarely happens by the way) and when this actually does happen (did I mention it’s very rare?), I like to make steak and cheese subs. It might not be Philly-style and if I were to suggest it was better, it might just get me “Hextall-ed” outside the Wells Fargo Center! BUT…(and I am a sucker for a big BUTT and a smile – I really wanted to get Boyz II Men in the post but Bell Biv Devoe seemed so apropos for this, don’t you think?) this cheesesteak has proven to be a mighty tasty treat or at least my wife has told me so. Today I’m sharing my Grilled Steak and Cheese that will have you channeling your inner-Philly and ready to throw down like the Broad Street Bullies, or sing the Eagles fight song, or get all fired up like Dennis Reynolds over milk steak…. Or, maybe….. just sit back, relax and enjoy the cheesesteak with a beer? It’s really your call, I’ll let you decide.

Now I’ve had a real Philly cheese steak before and I can legitimately say…. this is not a Philly Cheese steak. But, the Paggi Pazzo steak and cheese throws together a nice mix of sweet and salty flavors to make this a hardy lunch time meal (dare I say that this recipe is as brilliant as the invention of kitten mittens?). We start off by slicing the already grilled steak into thin strips that were grilled over a wood fire and seasoned with garlic powder, pepper and salt by adding a splash of Worcestershire sauce and wrapping it in foil before allowing it to heat in the oven for 10 minutes at 300 degrees. Then chop your onions, peppers, and mushrooms, and sauté for about 15 minutes until all of the ingredients become soft and caramelize together.

Once the steak strips are done, add them to the pan of peppers and onions at low heat and then stir. After a few minutes, add the sliced provolone cheese on top and once it melts, you’re ready to go to town on your steak and cheese! For bread, I prefer a ciabatta loaf but you can also try a baguette or any other soft bread (toast yours for a nice crunchy flavor). To go with my steak and cheese I enjoyed some tortilla chips and an ice cold Corona, now that’s a lunch that even a philanthropist can enjoy! So there you have it, Paggi Pazzo’s Steak and Cheese sub recipe, a real American classic!

Grilled Steak and Cheese recipe

Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 hour
Yield: 2 servings

Ingredients

• 4-6 oz. Steak (New York Sirloin, Boneless Rib Steak or Strip Steak)
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 Spanish onion
• 1/2 red or green pepper
• 4 slices American Provolone cheese
• 1 dash salt
• 1 dash black pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 French baguette or Italian ciabatta

Cooking Directions

1. Season steak with garlic powder, salt, and pepper
2. Add lump hardwood charcoal to 1 chimney starter (you can add cherry or mesquite wood chunks or chips if you prefer) and when grey, dump into grill pit
3. Dress grates with olive oil on a paper towel and then add steak to grill over high-heat zone, giving a quarter-inch turn after 2 minutes and turning over after 5 minutes (10 minutes total)
4. Once steak is done, remove from grill and cut into thin strips then wrap in aluminum foil with a teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce then place on low-to-medium heat zone of grill (heating indirectly)
5. *Your choice from here to continue to cook on grill or cook indoors with your stove – Chop onions, peppers, and mushrooms and add to pan with olive oil, sauteing for 10-15 minutes until vegetables are soft.
6. Add steak strips to pan and saute for 5 minutes, adding provolone cheese on top until it melts then remove from grill or stove
7. Cut baguette or ciabatta in half and slice into sandwiches, add steak and cheese saute to baguettes. Ready to enjoy and serve.