One taste tells why paninis have become so popular, and now these sumptuous Italian sandwiches are easier to make at home.
By JANET K. KEELER
Published August 25, 2004
[Times photo: Patty Yablonski]
Like all sandwiches, paninis offer a wide array of tasty combinations. This one has roasted portobello mushrooms, red peppers, yellow peppers, zucchini and goat cheese.
The panini, as we've come to know it, is a beautiful thing.
Crusty, pressed bread cradles warm goat cheese and roasted vegetables, or maybe wide ribbons of prosciutto, creamy St. Andres cheese and sliced figs. How about Gorgonzola and greens? Poached salmon, capers and mild ricotta salata?
And there's always simple ham and cheese.
In recent years, pressed paninis have begun to rival the pressed Cuban as the sandwich of the hour. The McDonald's bistro on East Lake Road in North Pinellas is serving them, and they are staples at Atlanta Bread Company and Panera Bread. You'll also find paninis in Italian delis and markets, local cafes and other casual restaurants.
When Denise Yennie won the Pillsbury Bake-Off in 2002 with her Chicken Florentine Panini, there were grumbles in the press room that it was only a "trendy grilled cheese sandwich." Oh, behave. Yennie simply caught a wave that hasn't crested.
Now you can make paninis at home easily, thanks to a handful of economical presses. You can use a skillet and a heavy pot or brick to do the pressing, but you'll have to flip the sandwich and use a grill ban to get decorative grill marks.
Fillings, too, are simple. Many delis sell roasted vegetables, and caponata, the Italian eggplant relish, comes in a can or jar. Prepared pesto, olivada and artichoke spread lend flavor without creating work.
We've come to think of the panini as a grilled sandwich, but that is not always so. In Italian, panino means small bread or roll. There, the panino originated as a snack, generally a sandwich eaten in three to five bites between meals or on the run.
At rest stops along Italy's superhighways, travelers find nourishment at the Autogrill chain, a virtual panini palace.
"There's 25 feet of deli case and baskets of premade sandwiches with crazy names," Food Network chef Mario Batali told New York magazine recently. "You point at one, and they put it on the press."
He went on to explain that paninis are all about balance. The bread is the main event, so buy the best you can find. That might mean a stop at a bakery or Italian deli. Look for baguettes, ciabatta (slipper bread), focaccia, or small soft or crusty rolls. Crusty bread holds up better than sliced sandwich bread, which flattens to discs.
"The American tendency is to obfuscate the perfect simplicity of the sandwich by putting too much (stuff) in it," Batali said. "There shouldn't be more stuff inside than outside."
Because we aren't going to Italy soon, the Autogrill and its baskets of premade paninis are our inspiration for a party. On a recent dry run, four women - call us the Panini Princesses - got together to test sandwich combinations.
Our hostess had to shoo us away from the kitchen counter to sit at the table. We gobbled up samples as quickly as she took them off the press.
She used a Krups press, which costs about $80 at stores such as Williams-Sonoma and Bed Bath & Beyond. Hamilton Beach and Breadman make versions for less than $50, and those can be found at Target and Wal-Mart. Other popular brands include Breville and DeLonghi. Most are available online at sites such as www.shopping.comwww.amazon.com and store sites.
A George Foreman grill will work in a pinch, but the finished sandwich will be lopsided because the lid is hinged at an angle. The lid of a panini press pivots so it comes down squarely on the sandwich and presses the bread and filling with equal pressure.
We opted not to butter or brush the outside of the bread with olive oil, which kept down calories and grease. The nonstick surface of the press allowed the sandwiches to lift off easily. We all marveled at how fast the sandwiches were heated through, making the cheese ooey-gooey yummy.
One princess even bought her own press days later. Her prince wondered how they could ever go back to regular sandwiches.
Take Batali's advice and don't overfill the sandwich; keep the filling at an inch thick or less. If there's too much stuffing, it will run out the sides when pressed.
Premade paninis will keep for a while at room temperature but must be eaten quickly after being pressed. Because heat is coming from the top and bottom, it takes just minutes for the bread to brown and the cheese to melt. Even greens, such as arugula or spinach, hold their own rather than going limp.
You could lay out the ingredients and let your guests make their own creations.
Here are 10 combinations, some classic, some not, to consider for a panini party. You can even put dessert paninis on the menu, but don't use herbed bread.
Supermarket cheese selections have grown tremendously in the past few years, so you may be able to find interesting varieties there. Ask for help or call ahead.
* Italia, Italia. Roasted tomato, fresh mozzarella, fresh basil leaves and Parmesan cheese.
* Postmodern Ham and Cheese. Thin slices of Black Forest or tavern ham and the herbaceous Spanish sheep's milk manchego. (Experiment further with thin slices of apple.)
* Veggie Delight. Roasted or grilled mushrooms, peppers, eggplant and mild ricotta salata with a thin layer of the thick Italian cream cheese, mascarpone. (Or use just eggplant and add pesto.)
* Fishy Panini. Poached salmon, goat cheese, capers and slivers of red onion.
* Sweet and Tangy. Chopped dates and Gorgonzola.
* Olive, the Other Sandwich. Olive tapenade or chunky olive salad, a few strands of orange zest and fresh mozzarella.
* Panini of the Sea. Poached fresh tuna or tuna canned in olive oil; lemon aioli made from scratch or add lemon juice and zest to prepared mayonnaise; havarti, and arugula.
* Berry Panini. Raspberries, mascarpone and brown sugar.
* You've Got to Have Chocolate. Ricotta cheese, dried cherries and chopped semisweet chocolate chips.
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, more for drizzling
1 tablespoon butter
1 medium onion, chopped
8 thin slices of a large loaf of crusty, chewy Italian bread
1/2 pound fontina, shredded or sliced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
1 ripe pear, thinly sliced
Preheat a large grill pan, griddle or panini press to medium-high heat. Preheat a small skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of oil and butter to the small skillet. Add onion to the melted butter and oil. Saute the onion, stirring frequently, 10 to 12 minutes or until onions are caramel-colored and soft.
To build sandwiches, spread 1/4 of the onions on each of 4 slices of bread. Top onions with a thin layer of fontina and sprinkle with chopped sage. Add a thin layer of pears to each sandwich, then more fontina and the top slice of bread. Drizzle the sandwiches with extra-virgin olive oil. Place drizzled side down and arrange the sandwiches on grill, griddle or press. Drizzle opposite side of each sandwich with oil and weigh the sandwiches with foil-wrapped bricks or with a heavy skillet, further weighted with a sack of flour or canned goods. (Or close lid of press.) Press sandwiches 2 or 3 minutes on each side and serve immediately.
Nutritional information per serving: 553 calories, 36g fat (11g saturated), 21g protein, 61g carbohydrates, 5g fiber, 928mg sodium.
Source: Rachael Ray, Food Network.
Grilled Havarti and Caponata Panini
4 slices crusty country-style bread (each about 3 1/2 by 5 1/2 inches)
Arrange two bread slices on work surface. Top each bread slice with 1/4 of cheese, 3 tablespoons caponata and half of tomato. Sprinkle each with half of rosemary, then salt and pepper. Top with remaining cheese and bread. Brush top and bottom bread slices with oil.
Heat large nonstick skillet or panini press. Add sandwiches and grill or press until bread is golden brown and cheese melts, about 6 minutes per side.
Cut in half and serve hot. Serves 2.
Nutritional information per serving: 552 calories, 36g fat (16g saturated), 16g protein, 36g carbohydrates, 2g fiber, 855mg sodium. (Without brushing bread with olive oil: 457 calories and 26g fat)
Source: Bon Appetit, January 1998.
Chicken and Salsa Verde Panini
7 green olives, coarsely chopped
1 small garlic clove, peeled and coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons drained capers
Grated zest of 1 lemon
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons lemon juice
Pinch salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 skinless, boneless roasted chicken breast halves, thinly sliced
4 round or oblong sandwich rolls, split in halves
On a chopping board, combine the green olives, garlic, capers and lemon zest. Chop finely. (Or combine and chop in a food processor.) Transfer to a bowl. In a small jar, combine the olive oil and lemon juice; shake until combined and pour over the olive mixture. Stir in the salt and pepper. (If not using right away, cover and refrigerate.)
Spread bottom halves of rolls with the salsa verde, leaving some of the juices in the bowl. Top with the slices of chicken breast. Brush the remaining juices over the inside of the top halves of the rolls; place on top of bottom halves and press down lightly. Cut into halves and serve. Serves 4.
Nutritional information per serving: 422 calories, 12g fat, 9g protein, 52g carbohydrates, 783mg sodium.
