Panini Sandwich with Pesto Sauce
A friend once told me she found it hard to make a good panini sandwich. She explained that the inside sometimes came out soggy, or that by the time she had pressed the sandwich long enough to warm through the center, the outside was too dark. This puzzled me, because a good panini press is meant to make life a little easier in the kitchen. After further discussion, we discovered that she was using cold, wet ingredients (like tomatoes and olives straight out of the tub) and had set the temperature on the grill too high. After a little adjustment, she now uses her panini press all the time for sandwiches, as well as fish and grilled veggies. It’s amazing how one conversation, or piece of new information, can change your perspective. BigKitchen.com recently sent me a wonderful Calphalon Removable Plates Grill. Prior to this, my only hangup with panini presses and electric grills was how tricky they were to clean up. This one has certainly changed my perspective. This Calphalon indoor grill is a cinch to clean. Both grill plates simply pop off and can even be placed in the dishwasher, along with the drawer in the back that catches grease and crumbs. The top portion of the press is hinged to allow height adjustment for even cooking. That means you can place tall sandwiches, or thick-cut steaks in it without any difficulty. Also the preheat function is exceptionally fast. By the time you assemble your panini sandwich recipe, the grill is ready to go.
Pesto Sandwich Recipe
Today I’m serving a Pesto Sandwich Recipe with a creamy Pesto Sauce for Panini. This pesto is a little different from the standard variety because it calls for less oil and is blended with cream cheese. The cream cheese provides a light silky quality and accentuates the basil, walnut and lemon. It’s easier to spread than regular pesto and makes a wonderful melty addition to any panini sandwich recipe. How to make a Panini:
Preheat the grill Butter the bread Load with dry, room-temperature ingredients Press to toast
That’s all there is to it. I loaded the sourdough bread with black forest ham, genoa salami, artichoke hearts, sprouts, and a good shmeer of creamy pesto. Heavenly!
Pesto Sandwich Recipe Variations
Want to layer more goodies on your basil pesto panini?
Swap ham and salami for turkey pesto sandwiches Add extra veggies like fresh spinach, avocado, sliced cucumbers, red onions, or lettuce. Add fresh mozzarella or provolone cheese
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