Grilled Ramen and Cheese Recipe

Ingredients

• 16 ounces fresh ramen noodles
• 1 tablespoon salted butter
• 1 bunch scallions, sliced
• 1 clove garlic, smashed
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 cups shredded aged cheddar cheese
• ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Other Stuff

• Pasta pot with strainer
• Large bowl
• 9-by-13-inch baking dish
• Parchment paper
• Soup cans
• Cutting board
• Panini press

1. Fill pot with water and season with salt until it tastes like seawater. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cook ramen noodles for 8 minutes. Strain them but do not rinse them; you want that extra starch.
2. In large bowl, combine hot ramen noodles, butter, scallions, garlic, paprika, and salt and pepper. Allow ramen to cool slightly, and then fold in the cheeses. You want to stir gently, but it’s okay if the noodles tear a little.
3. Line baking dish with lightly greased parchment paper. Transfer ramen mixture to the pan and spread evenly to form a ramen cake. The cake should be 1½ to 2½ inches thick. Top mixture with another piece of lightly greased parchment paper, and place soup cans on top of the parchment paper to compress the cake. WAIT! Refrigerate the ramen cake for at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours.
4. Once the ramen cake has cooled, turn it out onto a cutting board, still layered with parchment. Cut the cake, still in the parchment paper, into 3-inch squares.
5. Remove parchment paper and press each ramen cake in a Panini press at medium heat until golden brown, approximately 10 minutes.