A panini is a fun and quick sandwich which is grilled and served hot. A great thing about paninis is that they put a new spin on a cold sandwich, making it feel more like a meal than a snack. It can be as sophisticated or as simple as you like. Panini presses are usually used to flatten the sandwich and heat its insides, but lacking a grill, you can use a pair of cast iron skillets to achieve the same crispy sandwich.
Although paninis are as easy to prepare as a grilled cheese sandwich, they don't need to be as boring as one. Experiment with flavor combinations, savory or sweet. Try rye breads or pumpernickel, sourdoughs and raisin bread. Jams, flavored mustards, and other spreads add interesting notes. Here are a few examples to spur your imagination and palate:
Chicken Margherita -- sliced chicken breast, basil leaves or pesto, tomato slices, mozzarella cheese
Spicy Roast Beef -- sliced roast beef, Dijon mustard, Jarlsberg cheese
Ham and Fontina -- sliced ham, sliced turkey, Fontina cheese, chutney
Grilled Vegetable -- grilled vegetables (eggplant, red peppers, radicchio), hummus, spring greens
Choco-Banana -- Nutella, sliced bananas, drizzle of honey
To make: heat up your panini grill or two heavy skillets to medium-high heat. Lightly oil one side of two slices of bread. Stack your sandwich, oiled sides out. Place in pan or grill. In the case of a grill, lower top lid and let cook for approximately two minutes. For pan-made paninis, place the second hot pan atop your sandwich and press down (be careful of the hot handle). Cook until lightly golden brown and insides are hot.
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