How to a Cook Panini: A Professional Guide.

Nothing beats the joy of getting home after a long day at work or school and taking a bite from your favorite sandwich. This is always a favorite part of my days.

That said, for a long time, I didn’t know that I could prepare this delicacy at home from the comfort of my couch. I always had to travel a few minutes away to get the healthy snack, and on days when I had to rush home and didn’t have the time to pass through my favorite spot, the day would feel incomplete to me.

So, with that frustration in mind, I realized that a lot of people could be caught up in the same situation I was in and do not know that they can prepare their delicious sandwiches at home – and that’s what inspired me to create this detailed guide. At the end of this article, I’ll also leave a link to a review on the five best Panini Makers for those of you who do not already own one.

Without further ado, let’s skip to the main section of the post and look at how to cook a Panini.

I think that this is the most essential step of making your Panini. The bread type you pick can either make or break the outcomes. Here is a guide of different bread types used to make sandwiches. Feel free to take a look at the guide later on.

All you need to note now is that if you plan on using soft and moist fillings, then you need to choose a denser and drier bread type that will absorb all the moisture produced by the fillings. I usually recommend the following bread types for Panini sandwiches:

• Ciabatta
• Michetta
• Baguette

Remember to cut your bread slices horizontally.

Regardless of how great your sandwich might look, you need to remember that if it is soggy and wet, then it will be practically inedible. The best way you can avoid the sogginess that might hamper your entire sandwich is by spreading cream, butter, or mayonnaise on the edges of every slice of bread that you use.

The spreads will allow the slices to create a thick seal against any wet ingredients used in the sandwich. Another trick I regularly use to avoid wet sandwiches is adding all the watery ingredients like pickles, tomatoes, and cucumbers just before your sandwich is ready to eat.

If you’ve ever tried preparing a sandwich before, then you know that the process of cutting a perfect Panini is a grueling task considering the fillings. So, instead of using a saw-like knife (serrated knives), ensure you pick a straight-edged knife to cut the sandwich.

This will, in turn, ensure a neat and smooth separation for the sandwich you prepare.

I don’t think anyone will disagree when I say that grilled Panini sandwiches taste way better if they are crunchy. At least I’ve never come across someone who disagrees.

Anyway, to add the crunchiness, all you ought to do is place butter on the Panini Press’ plates before placing your slices of bread. This is what will, in turn, ensure your delicacy attains the much-desired crunchiness.

A perfect sandwich’s virtue is patience. Always make sure that the Panini sandwich is not getting grilled on a press that’s overheated. The bread slices will take time to toast and so will the fillings you’ve placed inside.

As a general rule of thumb, you should let the meat get soft and tender, vegetables should attain a perfect level of crunchiness, and the cheese inside ought to melt.

Now that you have nailed the basics, it is time to perfect your Panini making skills and start relishing the nutritious and satisfying meals. The recipe I’ll share with you below will show you how to prepare a blue cheese and roasted Broccoli Panini.

If you’ve never prepared this delicacy before, you can start by sticking to this guide, then start customizing the recipe as you learn more about Panini Sandwiches.

• Cracked black pepper for seasoning
• Salt to taste
• 2 slices (the number might depend on the audience size) of multiple grain bread
• 1-7 marinated olives
• ½ teaspoon of balsamic vinegar
• 3-4 fresh basil leaves
• 4-6 cherry tomatoes that have been cut into half
• 3-5 marinated green olives as well as their marinating olive oil
• 2-4 stalks of garlic chives that have been chopped finely
• 60-80 grams of blue cheese
• Two heaped tablespoons of eggless mayonnaise
• Two teaspoons of any ready-made relish (made up of bell peppers, vinegar, sugar, sweet cucumber, and gherkins)
• Three tablespoons of chili oil
• Three spring onions that have been cut half (lengthwise)

Once you have all the ingredients ready, follow the method below

Step 1: Start by arranging the broccoli florets on your baking dish and use the cracked black pepper and salt to season them. subsequently, drizzle one tablespoon of pickling oil over the seasoned broccoli then mix them well. The pickling oil will be from the marinated olives.

Step 2: Roast the Broccoli in your toaster oven for 9-10 minutes. Roast them at 200-230 degrees Celsius.

Step 3: Remove them from the toaster oven and place them on your counter to cool down.

Step 4: In the meantime, season the spring onions using cracked black pepper and salt, then place them on the grill. Remember to keep basting and turning them with chili oil.

Step 5: After the spring onions have been lightly charred, remove them from inside the grill and place them on your kitchen counter as well to cool down.

Step 6: To prepare the filling, mix the eggless mayonnaise with the ready-made relish in a bowl. Subsequently, add chopped garlic chives, crumble the blue cheese into the mixture, and start mixing them well.

Step 7: In this step, roughly start tearing the roasted broccoli inside the filling and mix the two well until the broccoli has been sufficiently coated

Step 8: Take the two slices you have, brush them with chili oil, and then finally spread the broccoli filling between them. Feel free to brush the top and bottom sides of the bread slices with a little bit more chili oil, then grill the Panini sandwich evenly on both sides.

Step 9: To prepare a spring onion delight, mix together grilled spring onions, olive oil, a dash of balsamic vinegar, basil leaves, cracked black pepper, halved cherry tomatoes, and marinated green olives. Serve your sandwich with the marinated olives, cherry tomatoes, and grilled spring onion delicacy.

After this detailed guide, it is quite clear that one shouldn’t waste their hard-earned cash purchasing Panini sandwiches in a restaurant unless it’s absolutely necessary. With that in mind, if you do not already own one of these masterpieces, I’ve not forgotten about the promise I made to you at the beginning of the guide.

Here is a guide of the 5 best Panini Sandwich Makers. I acquired and tested all the models from the guide myself, so whichever one you pick, you can rest assured that it will exceed your needs and expectations. As you have seen in this guide, you’ll also need a toaster oven from time to time. Here is a different guide of the best smart toaster ovens.