Panini Without A Press

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Panini

If you're following me on Twitter, then you are well aware that today is a "Reconstruction Day", i.e. we are restoring order to our home after ravaging it in a matter of a few days.  So we've been working hard since 6 am.  Fast forward to 12:30, and I ask Shaheid what he would like for lunch.  I know that you will think I'm kidding when I tell you what his response was, but I'm very much telling the truth.  Now you can have an idea of what my life is like.  His reply was as follows:

"Do we have a panini press?"

 And yes, he was serious.  So into the kitchen I went, and this is what transpired.

Ingredients (in this order)

 Bread- Garlic Parmesan Italian Loaf with Grey Poupon deli mustard

Cheese- Italian blend (provolone, mozzarella, parmesan, fontina, asiago)

Meat- beef salami

Veggies- tomato slices, spinach leaves, bread & butter pickles

Cheese- sharp cheddar

I heated my cast iron pan over medium-low heat and stacked my sandwich.  Then I drizzled olive oil, and added my sandwich then put a stock pot on it with two bags of rice in it for weight (hey, I was improvising!).  After the first side browned, I drizzled more oil and flipped the sandwich placing my "rice weight" back on top.  Then I gave myself a pat on the back for coming with with a pretty tasty panini  on command.

panini press out of a frying pan

Burnt panini ( I realize that it's REALLY burnt).

Now, that is how I would have done it had I not burned the first side of the sandwich.  Once that happened, I very gently cut off the burnt bottom and started over (I told you I was improvising!).  But all's well that ends in a panini, right?

The great thing about this sandwich is that it would be really great without the meat, which is perfect for next week since I'll be going meatless starting on Monday (stay tuned for that adventure) or with any of your favorite combinations of meats, cheeses and veggies.  The bread is what really made this panini great. It was flavored with garlic and parmesan, and it was just the right thickness to be pressed so that it was not too flat when the sandwich was cooked but not doughy either.  For $1.50 at Wal-Mart, it will DEFINITELY do.