All About the Panini
So you want to cook a Panini outside? Well, now you can do just that! The
Panini Press is a fabulous new option for making the most fabulous sandwiches over a campfire or grill!
OK, maybe you're confused and don't even know what a Panini Press is, much less why you want one. One of Italy's greatest cultural exports in the last decade is a sublimely simple, yet flavor bursting pressed sandwich known as a panini. Panini's have traditionally been found in cafes, bars and trattorias from Firenze to Napoli, Venezia to Turino. The popularity of the Italian Panini has literally surged across Europe and recently to the shores of North America.
Panini, quite simply, is the Italian name for "sandwich." However it should be noted that it is almost always used in reference to sandwiches that are placed in a two-sided cooking press that compresses and grills the sandwich until hot and toasted.
Unlike the pie iron sandwiches we, in the States are used to, a Panini Press is not designed to crimp the bread of the sandwich. The goal of the Panini is simply to compress the sandwich as it toasts without the ingredients or bread being trimmed by the edge of the press. The end result of cooking in a Panini press is a sandwich with a surprising depth of flavor and layered composition, of course, based on what you put in it!.
Using bold, fresh ingredients are key to a traditional Panini sandwich. This starts with quality artisan bread such as ciabatta rolls, foccacia or baguette -- sliced open and filled with your choice of vegetables, cheese or meats. Once the sandwich is composed, lightly oil the outside of the bread, place in the Panini Press, close the latch and place over medium heat (stovetop, campfire or barbeque grills - charcoal or gas.) After about 4 minutes, flip the Panini Press and continue cooking for another 4 minutes or until the sandwich is hot and toasted. Cooking times vary with the bread and ingredients used so this should be used only as a guideline. After you've made a few Paninis, you'll develop a feeling for the cooking time.
Paninis can vary from a simple prosciutto, mozzarella & tomato to more complex sandwiches that involve more preparation, such as chicken breast with roasted red peppers and pesto mayonnaise (of course, any meats must be pre-cooked prior to using them in a Panini press. ) The diversity in ingredients, experimentation and creativity used in conjunction with such a simple cooking device is what makes using a Panini Press so much fun!
Of course, the idea is not to overwhelm the sandwich with too many ingredients, but to focus on the balance of flavors and textures that you want to bring out when the Panini is pressed and toasted.
So now you're hooked and desperately need your own Panini Press, go ahead and order one from RVing Outpost here:
RVing Outpost Panini Press
Just to get you started and get your mouth watering, here's a few ideas . . .
- Ricotta Cheese & Roasted Peppers
- Basil, Mozzarella, Tomato, Balsamic Vinegar
- Eggplant Caponata, Roasted Red Peppers, Goat Cheese
- Prosciutto, Goat Cheese, Arugula
- Pesto Mayonnaise, Chicken, Red Pepper
- Ham, Mushrooms, Gruyere
- Tomato, Mozzarella, Coppa Salami
- Ham, Gruyere, Tomato
- Mozzarella, Tomato, Pancetta
- Ham, Emmental Cheese, Basil
- Tuna, Olives, Anchovies
- Roasted Eggplant, Goat Cheese, Basil
- Tuna, Tomato, Olives, Mozzarella
- Gorgonzola, Red Wine Vinegar, Olive Oil, Mixed Greens
