Step 1: Prepare the Pan and Bread
Preheat your non-stick pan over medium heat. This is the ideal temperature to ensure the cheese melts slowly before the bread burns. Next, lightly butter all four slices of the thick-sliced bread. Place two slices of the buttered bread into the preheated pan, with the butter side down.

Step 2: Build and Cook the Sandwich
Top each of the two slices of bread in the pan with 1 tablespoon of pizza sauce. Begin layering your filling ingredients: start with the mozzarella cheese, then 6 slices of beef pepperoni, followed by the shredded Parmesan cheese, fresh basil, and dried oregano. Finish the filling with the remaining beef pepperoni slices and the rest of the shredded mozzarella. Top the filling with the remaining two slices of bread, ensuring the buttered side faces outwards. Cook the sandwich for 3 to 4 minutes per side, turning it gently, or just until both sides are perfectly golden brown and the cheese is melted and bubbly.

Step 3: Optional: Create the Crispy Pepperoni Crust
For an irresistible savory crust, remove the finished sandwich from the pan. Place 6 thin slices of beef pepperoni directly into the pan. Top these slices with 2 tablespoons of mozzarella cheese. Immediately place the cooked sandwich directly on top of the cheese-and-pepperoni mixture. Let it cook until the cheese has melted, the pepperoni is crisp, and a delicious, crusted bottom forms (this takes about 1 minute). Remove and serve immediately.