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Why you should get a panini press
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Photo: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Leigh Anne Montgomery
When the weather is hot and muggy even those of us who adore cooking find ourselves dreading the kitchen. (And then sometimes the weather is perfect, yet after a long day a famished stomach determines that pots and pans just aren’t going to work fast enough!) The panini press comes to the rescue.
Panini presses (sometimes called “griddlers” or “sandwich presses”) come in a variety of shapes and sizes and can be purchased for $35 to $250. This appliance is usually electric and has ridges like a grill pan, however, unlike a grill pan, a panini press has a top plate with a handle that allows you to compress your sandwich into a melty, crusty delight.
What makes the panini press so great is that the panini possibilities are endless!
Tips:
- Cheese is important for a successful panini. It is the glue that holds the bread together. You can use low fat or fat free, however, these varieties don’t melt as well. I suggest using less of the real stuff if you are calorie/fat conscious.
- Spray the outside of your bread slices with butter spray or olive oil then season with coarse salt and pepper.
- Choose firm and flavorful bread. Though sliced sandwich bread will work, you’ll get best results with breads like foccacia, which isn’t flimsy, airy, or bland.
- Pre-cook. Make sure all of your fillings are cooked before loading them between the bread slices. This is not the place for raw bacon. The panini press will warm, not cook, your ingredients.
- Be careful not to overstuff. It may be tempting to load your panini, however, if you do the contents may end up pouring out the sides of the bread onto the grill when you close the lid. (If you are extra hungry just make two!)
Suggestions:
- Leftovers: Stick leftovers between two slices of bread, add some cheese and press for a dinner reincarnated. Slices of meatloaf, roasted chicken or turkey, baked ham, leg of lamb, roast beef, pulled pork, meatballs, hamburger patties and even mashed potatoes all work well in a panini.
- Deli: Add some bells and whistles to your lunch meat
- Thanksgiving Stuffer: deli sliced turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, gravy, and cheddar cheese
- Cubano: deli sliced ham, sliced pickles, mustard, and Swiss cheese
- Cobb: deli sliced chicken breast, avocado, sliced tomatoes, sliced hard boiled egg, and Roquefort cheese
- Reuben: deli sliced corned beef, Thousand Island dressing, sauerkraut, and Swiss cheese
- Croque Monsieur: deli sliced ham and gruyere cheese
- Meatless: Meat is not a panini must
- Classic Caprese: fresh basil leaves, sliced tomatoes, and fresh buffalo mozzarella sliced thick
- Old School Revisited: combine three of your favorite cheeses for a twist on the traditional grilled cheese
- Fresh French: figs, caramelized onions, and brie
- Ratatouille: roasted red peppers, sliced grilled eggplant, onions, zucchini, and goat cheese
Be adventurous!
- Change it up. A simple swap of the type of bread can change the entire dynamic of your sandwich. Try brioche, a whole wheat baguette, or even Kaiser rolls. Though some will yield better results than others, there is no reason not to try something new.
- Add spread. Do you have some chutney hanging around in your fridge? Did Aunt Betty give you a jar of her homemade relish? Did a recent farmer’s market purchase leave you with an overabundance of apricot jam? Did you make way too much olive tapenade or pesto? Use these spreads on your sandwich. They will make your panini truly unique and stimulate your taste buds in new ways.
For more recipe ideas check out Over the Top Panini Recipes on MyRecipes.com
To compare panini presses check out Amazon.com
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