Two Cheese Panini With Tomato Olive Pesto Recipes

TWO-CHEESE PANINI WITH TOMATO-OLIVE PESTO

Steps:

• In a food processor, combine the sun-dried tomatoes with the olives and oregano. Season with pepper and process to a coarse paste.
• Lightly brush 1 side of each slice of bread with olive oil and set on a large baking sheet, oiled side down. Top half of the bread with the provolone, spread each slice with 1 tablespoon of the tomato-olive pesto and top with the mozzarella. Close the sandwiches with the remaining bread, oiled side up.
• Heat a griddle or a very large skillet. Arrange 3 or 4 sandwiches on the griddle and top with a cast-iron skillet: do not press the pan down. Cook the sandwiches over moderately high heat until golden on the bottom, about 2 minutes. Flip the sandwiches and cook until browned and the cheese is melted, about 2 minutes longer. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Repeat with the remaining sandwiches.
• Cut the crusts off the sandwiches, then cut into triangles and serve.
• MAKE AHEAD The panini can be prepared through Step 3 and stored on a wire rack at room temperature for up to 6 hours. Reheat on a baking sheet in a 350°F oven until crisp.

CHICKEN, PESTO, AND OLIVE PANINI

Steps:

• On bottom of both bread pieces brush on olive oil.
• Spread one tablespoon of pesto (or more if you like) on each piece of bread on the top side. So the bottom will have olive oil and the top will have pesto.
• On the the pesto side on ONE HALF of bread place spinach leaves. Repeat with other bread.
• On top of spinach place 1/4 of mozzarella. Repeat with other bread.
• Layer on chicken, olives, tomatoes and 1/4 of mozzarella. Repeat on other bread to make two complete sandwiches. Fold in half with the olive oil side on the outside.
• Grill on panini press or Foreman Grill.
• If you don't have these (as I don't) heat grill pan to medium heat. Wash two bricks and cover with foil. Place sandwiches side by side on grill pan. Place foil covered bricks on top. Cook on medium for 4-6 minutes. Turn over and replace bricks. Cook an additional 4-6 minutes until cheese is melted and bread is toasted brown.

FOUR CHEESE PANINI WITH BASIL TOMATOES

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine cheeses. Spread the cheese on the bottoms of the ciabatta rolls. Top with tomato slices and brush with olive oil. Sprinkle with basil and add 2 arugula leaves and close the panini.
• Set a large cast-iron skillet or griddle over moderately high heat. Arrange the panini in skillet and weight them down with a smaller pan (can fill with water if you need more weight). Cook the panini until the outside is crisp and the cheese is melted, 3 minutes per side.
• Cut panini in half and serve at once.