What is Panini?
What is Panini?
I’m guessing that if you found this post, then you must be wondering, what is a panini? The simplest definition is that a panini is a type of grilled sandwich but that description really doesn’t do it justice.
Panini Press
The main difference between a panini and a sandwich is how it’s cooked. A panini is cooked on a panini grill so that the ingredients are heated together and the bread becomes toasty and even more flavorful. If you don’t have a panini grill you can also make a panini between in a frying pan or on a grill with a weight on it. The weight is important because pressing the ingredients together helps them heat up quickly. I’ve even seen panini sandwiches made with the George Foreman Grill
How Many Panini?
The word panino is the Italian word for sandwich. Panini is actually the plural form of the word. So if you were in Italy and went up to a sandwich man, you’d probably order un panino al prosciutto if you were alone and then you’d order due (two) panini if you were with a friend. Or maybe you’d also order two if you were really hungry.
Panini Ingredients
There are probably thousands of different panini recipes and each of them can have multiple variations. The number of combinations and possibilities are almost endless but a lot of panini sandwiches are made using a simple formula. Delicious crusty bread with a meat, a cheese and some sort of spread.
Popular Panini Ingredients - Meats
- Salami
- Prosciutto,
- Ham
- Mortadella
- Chicken
- Roast Beef
- Turkey
Popular Panini Ingredients - Cheeses
- Mozzarella
- Swiss
- Brie
- Fontina
- Gorgonzola
- Provolone
Popular Panini Ingredients - Spreads
- Pesto
- Honey Mustard
- Salsa
- Garlic and Oil
I’ve only listed these sandwich contents just off the top of my head. There’s so many more possible ingredients out there to explore. I’m hopping that by doing this blog, I’ll be able to answer the question what is a panini and along the way, I plan on tasting and sharing as many panini recipes as I can with my readers.
