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Tips on How
to Make Delicious Panini
BY SABRINA ROCCA |
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Panini have
been present for more than a century, and nowadays they are being
grilled up in practically every café in the world. The
common grilling procedure of panini at home reached a new height
when Oprah Winfrey featured her favorite things. Even celebrities
try to learn some recipes for panini sandwiches; that’s
how amazing they are! To give you more ideas about panini making,
here are some helpful tips on how to make a delicious panini.
-Pick your grilling method
carefully. Not all panini methods give the same results. A panini
maker can be the easiest to use and provide the biggest amount
of control over heat and pressure, but it is the most expensive
as well. A lot of people are able to grill sandwiches with the
use of a grill pan or outdoor grill. No matter what recipes for
panini sandwiches you use, it is possible to make one without
a panini press. Though such methods can be a bit awkward to perform,
they can still give you great tasting panini. Just make sure
that if you are not using a panini grill that you use something
to press down on the panini while grilling them. You can use
a brick or a spatula; whatever works for you is fine as long
as you are pressing the sandwich. |
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-Experiment with a wide variety
of breads and fillings. Just because panini are Italian, that
doesn’t mean that you have to limit yourself to foccacia,
mozzarella and other Italian ingredients. If it has bread and
filings and is prepared on the grill, then it is a panino. You
can try dessert recipes, breads such as baguettes and biscuits
and filings like mango salsa and apples. Allow your taste buds
to be your guide and have fun with it.
-Go for the crunch. One thing
that separates panini from other typical sandwiches is the grilling
part. Grilled bread is the trademark of panini. They will taste
best if you brush the outside of the bread with olive oil or
melted butter on top. For a low fat alternative, you can use
cooking spray instead.
-Watch out for wet ingredients.
Nobody wants a soggy sandwich. Most of the recipes for panini
sandwiches include dryer ingredients. If you are planning on
adding tomatoes, I would suggest adding them after the grilling
process. Remember that the crispness of the panini is the key.
However, you can still use wet ingredients just find ways on
how to contain the excess juice or moisture and make sure to
use thicker breads like focaccia. If you will be using wet ingredients,
it is advisable to spread them out, thinly, throughout the sandwich.
-Keep round tops turned in.
When you attempt to grill round-topped breads such as baguettes,
you will see it can be quite challenging to keep them from rolling
over and spilling out the ingredients of the panini. The best
solution to this is turn round-topped breads inside out in order
for the flat surfaces to make contact with the grill.
-Cut with a straight-edged
knife. It is best to use a sharp, straight-edged knife, compared
to a serrated one. This will make a smooth preparation to your
finished panini.
-Plan a panini party. The ideal
way to know if you have succeeded the panini test is to invite
your friends and family over. Buy a wide selection of breads
and fillings. Bring out your grill and let your guests make their
own panini. You can give them some suggestions on recipes for
panini sandwiches. This way, they can get ideas and maybe even
share a few new recipes with you.
-Green veggies go last. Grill
your panini first and then place the green leafy veggies, such
as lettuce inside.
Hopefully, now you’ll
be motivated and encouraged to go out and make your own grilled
panini in your own home. If you still aren’t sure about
what to put in panini, try purchasing a panini recipe book or
surfing the net for great ideas.
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