Turkey Pesto Bagel

Moscow is full of amazing places to get lunch. This was my attempt to combine two favorites: Bucer's paninis, and anything from Moscow Bagel & Deli. Actually, I was mostly craving the panini, but since I don't have a panini press or the right kind of bread handy, it became a bagel.

This version has cheddar cheese instead of provolone, and the tomato slices are cut up into smaller pieces.

I toasted the bagel and spread each side with a mixture of pesto and mayo. Meanwhile, I heated up the toppings in a little pan with a lid so that they could steam: lots of sliced turkey, cheddar cheese, and sliced tomatoes, marinated in balsamic vinegar in the fridge for a couple of days.

Since I don't have a proper steamer, heating the toppings separately was much faster than trying to warm up the whole sandwich (I've tried). It also allowed some water to drain off of the meat so the final sandwich was less soggy.

Daniel is a happy, happy husband.