Apple & Brie
Margarita (Basil, Tomato & Mozzarella)
A panino (pronounced /pəˈniːnoʊ/) is a sandwich made from a small loaf of bread, typically a ciabatta. The loaf is often cut horizontally and filled with salami, ham, meat, cheese or other food, and sometimes served hot. A grilled panino is buttered on the outside and grilled in a press.
Basically what we're talking about here is a grilled sandwich, nothing more. It's easy to make and can be a nice surprise for people if you choose to be creative with the ingredients. Let me say that you don't need to own a panini press to make panini - that's a bunch of bunk. All you need is a wide, no stick frying pan and something to weigh the panini down. Some people use bricks wrapped in aluminum foil (which I've used on the grill before when making flattened Cornish hens so I can tell you that that does work) but I prefer another frying pan with something heavy in it to weigh it down (a big can of tomatoes works well). The only advice I will give is instead of dropping a pad of butter into the pan like one might with a grilled cheese sandwich, rather melt some butter in the microwave and brush it on. It'll prevent any extra butter in the pan from smoking/burning. Also, be patient. Cook on a medium heat and take a little extra time to make it. It'll be worth the wait.
