Panini is a type of sandwich prepared from a long, wide sandwich, cut horizontally. The panini device can also be used as a traditional grill. It usually offers the possibility of adjusting the position of the upper plate, so that it can be adapted to the height of the sandwich.
The panini grill
The panini grill, then, usually has simple heating plates, on which you can easily place a sandwich that is equally large and roast a tortilla.
But what about a larger panini? I can’t imagine why this is not a better choice, especially considering it’s almost impossible to find one of these in the U.S.
It’s also nice to not have to worry about the panini getting wet — I’ve had my entire family eat one in Mexico. They were just fine — the sauce is great without the meat and the vegetables that I usually find in a panini are still perfectly tender when served with the meat.
Panini Grilling with Meat or Vegetable
You may have heard of panini, the Spanish dish, but it doesn’t seem to be a very common dish in our country. I think that if you go to a Mexican restaurant, they may have some recipes where they cook the vegetables in the skillet over charcoal. Or they may do a little sauce and add the meat.
A few restaurants have had the idea of panini in a skillet, but they’re really more like sauces that go in and out, adding different ingredients and variations in flavor.
I don’t really mind it, personally, since I want to add my own flavor to everything I cook. But at least it’s an option for people who aren’t used to the idea, and the idea is still a new one to me.
The meat of a panini comes from one of eight different vegetables that may be used: green bell peppers, tomatoes, onions, peppers, carrots, green peppers, garlic, potatoes, corn, or chicken, depending on the variety. You can use beef, pork or shrimp depending on what you use for the rest of the meal.
My personal favorites: beef, pork and shrimp, or chicken, chicken, beef and broccoli.
My favorite vegetables are tomatoes and onions, and I usually use carrots and green peppers and garlic too, but they’re always better if I use all of them. If you’re using canned chicken, I would also add some green peppers here because it adds a little sweetness to the soup. I like that the sauce is creamy with the vegetables, while still remaining relatively thin and light. And it gives the meat and vegetables a nice crispy flavor. If you are using chicken, I’d use a bit more of the skin. The skin, while not tender on the outside, will also have a good amount of flavor on the inside, as well.
And finally, you may prefer to leave out the sauce. I think that when you use the meat, you want to make sure to cook all of the veggies and juices from the panini, even the bones.
The sandwich toaster
The sandwich toaster has a divided heating plate in the shape of square, toasted sandwiches.
These sandwiches are baked from two slices of bread or a bag of crackers. A bag of the sandwich crackers is placed on the heating plate at the bottom of the toaster.
As the hot bag of crackers is melted, the bag of bread is melted with the same heat as at the top of the oven. As the cold bag of crackers is cooked from below in the toaster, it starts to expand as the toaster turns. As that expanding expands, water is thrown off.
“The water in the water-melting bag is what makes the sandwich pop,” said Koppenheim. The water in the hot bag makes the sandwich fall apart, allowing more food to be added.
Cracker toast
The hot bag is cooled down and baked again for another 15 second period until a brown bread and cracker are seen forming, said Koppenheim. The cracker forms when the hot bag expands above it, creating a layer of water between the sandwich and cracker. “The crackers are made of flour,” added Koppenheim.
Once baked, the crackers expand even further, and a thin crust is formed on the bottom of the toaster. After about five or six toaster cycles the bread crumb crust on the top of the sandwich is formed.
When the toaster reaches its maximum range of temperature, Koppenheim said the toaster will have to be turned on for about five more cycles and the bread-crumb crust will have to be baked twice more.
The toaster will now have to cook for at least 25 seconds. The bread-crumb crust will become crisp and brown. When cooked, it will be a golden color and have a light golden tinge.
