Ode to the Panini
Flattened, pale, half-melted cheese and a limp slice of factory ham—we’re sure you’ve spotted one of these so-called ‘toasti’ in the wild. If these creations can even bear that name. FavorFlav is calling for the sandwich press to be shown the door and replaced with the panini.
If you cook a panini in a frying pan, only good things can happen. Crispy, buttery bread, perfectly melted cheese and, if you’re lucky, a piece of crispy cheese that has sneaked out during cooking.
Go for thick slices of bread. We think white or corn bread tastes best. Preferably a loaf from BBROOD or Van Menno. Sturdy bread that you really have to chew and that can handle a generous load of cheese. The bread is just as important as the cheese. And now that we’re talking about cheese, go for the very best variety you can find. Farmhouse aged, Gruyère, a good cheddar (no, not those plastic squares), taleggio, fontina or farmhouse brie.
Be generous with the toppings
And then there’s the topping—be generous; the cheese-to-bread ratio has to be perfect. Nothing is more disappointing than biting into a panini and barely tasting any cheese. There should be so much that you have to be careful not to burn your mouth. While you’re assembling the sandwich, place a frying pan over medium-high heat. Make sure the pan isn’t too large, because all that extra space is useless.
Spread a generous layer of butter on the top slice of bread and place it buttered-side down in the pan. Turn the heat down a little, because patience is a virtue in this case too. Nothing is more foolish than half-melted cheese—and burning happens faster than you think. So take your time and peek every now and then to see whether the bread is beautifully crispy and brown. Before you turn it over, spread another layer of butter on the top. Wait again until it’s perfectly golden brown and your incredible panini is ready. Cut the Real Panini in half, watch out for the piping-hot cheese and, before you know it, you’ll be in panini heaven.
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