Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Panini Pressing - A Simple Italian Panino

This is gonna be a really quick post, I got stuck at work tonight. Originally I had planned on a chicken dish, but you know what they say about the best laid plans of chicken and men.

So due to time constraints for dinner preparation, I made a simple panino. Yes, Panin'o' because I only made 1. Somehow, in the United States, "panini" became the trendy word, but it's actually the plural form. So, unless your eating more than one sandwich, which I have done on occasion, it's a "panino" not a "panini".

Oh and in Italy, panini are not necessarily grilled, and more often than not, serv ed on ciabatta or focaccia bread. I used Sourdough, just because it's my favorite.

Panino di Prosciutto y Finocchio

or Panini, if your making more than one ;)

2 Slices Sourdough bread
Aioli
2 Slices Prosciutto or Speck (smoked Prosciutto)
2 Sliced Provolone
1/4 of a Fennel Bulb
Basil leaves
Black Pepper
Melted Butter

Begin heating your grill pan.
Shave the fennel as thin as possible with a Mandolin.

Spread a very thin layer of Aioli over each slice of bread... (Less is more, you don't want it to start oozing out of the sandwich during grilling.)

Fold the 2 slices of prosciutto and lay them over the aioli, then top with shavings of fennel, basil leaves and a few grinds of black pepper.

Top this with thin slices of Provolone or Scamorza (Monterey Jack will work in a pinch)

Top with the remaining slice of bread.
Brush both sides with melted butter. (I use butter because it browns so very nicely)

Lay sandwich on hot grill and set top plate on top to compress sandwich.
Grill for about 2 - 3 minutes or until set with grill marks.


Mangia!!
~~

5 comments:

  1. That's just a great idea, I might try this for lunch today, I have some German brown bread that I made yesterday that I can use. Thanks.

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  2. Mmmmm, panino. If I had the space for such a thing I would totally get a press. I actually made some pressed sandwiches the other day, but they weren't anywhere near so pretty.

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  3. Dajana - German Brown Bread sounds REALLY good...

    Bob - I was pricing the presses, but decided that the 10 dollar press plate was a little more within my budget... I already had a grill pan and I don't have another appliance to store... LOL

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  4. Now THAT is a sandwich! What I wouldn't give for one of these right now!

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  5. This panini looks fabulous with prosciutto and provolone! Excellent!

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