Paninis, or pressed sandwiches, can often be overlooked as an idea for dinner. But not in my house! Once a week I buy a great big loaf of country bread and use it for all kinds of dishes each week.
One of our favorite things to do is to cut thick slices to make fabulous paninis for dinner. I usually pile on fresh mozzarella, herbs, ham and whatever fresh vegetables I have on hand. Toasted on a sandwich maker or on the stovetop, the cheese melts and the bread gets perfectly crispy. They are always a fun departure from a more typical meal and great way to make dinner easier on the cook!
Ingredients:
- 2 flatbreads or 4 slices of country bread
- 4 slices of thin prosciutto
- 6 pieces of thinly sliced fresh mozzarella
- ½ pint grape tomatoes, washed and patted dry
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons good quality olive oil
- 1 pinch Kosher salt
- 6 to 8 fresh basil leaves
Preparation:
1. Cut grape tomatoes in half or into thirds. Place them in a bowl and toss with vinegar, olive oil and salt. Allow them to sit for at least 10 minutes, or up to an hour at room temperature.
2. Lay bread open on the counter. Place 2 pieces of prosciutto on one slice of bread. Layer on 3 slices of mozzarella, then 3-4 basil leaves. Top with half of the tomatoes.
3. Drizzle the remaining slice of bread with some of the balsamic/olive oil mixture at the bottom of the bowl. Close sandwich.
4. Sandwich can be toasted on panini press, in a skillet or eaten as is.
