Spanish Grilled Cheese Sandwiches with Manchego and Jamón Serrano

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons butter room temperature
• 4 ounces pancetta thinly sliced
• 6 ounces manchego cheese thinly sliced
• 4  medjool dates pitted chopped
• 4 slices sandwich bread white firm

Equipment

• frying pan
• baking sheet
• panini press

Directions

1. Line baking sheet with waxed paper.
2. Spreadbutter on bread slices, dividing equally.
3. Place2 bread slices on prepared baking sheet,buttered side down. Top bread slices withhalf of sliced cheese (1 1/2 ounces each); topcheese with ham, dividing equally.
4. Sprinkledates over. Top with remaining cheese,then remaining 2 bread slices, buttered sideup. Refrigerate 30 minutes. DO AHEAD: Canbe made 8 hours ahead. Cover with plasticwrap and keep chilled. Peel plastic fromsandwiches before continuing.
5. Heat panini press and cook sandwichesaccording to manufacturer’s instructions.(Alternatively, heat heavy large skillet overmedium-high heat. Reduce heat to mediumlow.
6. Place sandwiches in skillet.
7. Placeanother large skillet atop sandwiches; placeweight, such as large can of tomatoes, atopskillet. Cook sandwiches until golden brownand cheese melts, about 4 minutes per side.)