Panini Bread and the Cuisinart Griddle and Panini Press!!!

Cuisinart Griddle and Panini Press

"In Italy, panino (Italian pronunciation: [paˈniːno]) is the word for a sandwich made with a bread roll. Sandwiches there are customarily made from a roll or loaf of bread, typically a ciabatta or a rosetta. The loaf is cut horizontally and filled with salami, ham, cheese, mortadella, or other food, and sometimes served warm after having been pressed by a warming grill. A toasted sandwich made from sliced bread is not called "panino" but "toast" by Italians, and is usually filled with prosciutto and a few slices of cheese, grilled in a sandwich press. A popular version of panino in Central Italy is filled with porchetta, slices of pork roasted with garlic, salt, rosemary, and sage.

In the USA, UK and Canada, the term "panini" refers to any pressed and toasted sandwich ("toastie"); there is widespread availability and use of sandwich presses, often known as "panini presses" or "toasted sandwich makers".
I got turned onto these sandwiches a few years back when Zupa's (a restaurant that has opened up here in our area that sell gourmet panini sandwiches).  I love their square pieces of bread that they use for their sandwiches. Then a Harmons opened near us, they have a area near their gourmet meats and cheese's that sell gourmet panini's. They make there own bread which looks alot like flour tortilla's.
I love this method, it's easy, fast and fits perfect in the Cuisinart griddle and panini press my children gave me for Christmas a few years ago. I love it!!!

So how do I make Panini sandwiches for My Gardner Guy....lets start with the bread.
To start with I use a simple white bread recipe and add a few spices...

3 1/2 cups flour
1 TBSP yeast
1 TBSP sugar
1 TBSP  olive oil
1 TBSP rosmary
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cup warm water

Add all ingredients using bread paddle mix until all kneaded well together. Dust with corn meal and place in a oiled bowl cover and allow to raise. About 2 hours....

Divide into 8-9 parts

If you have a tortilla press this next step goes fast especially if you have a electic tortilla press as you press and cook the bread at the same time.

If not simply roll out into rounds and lighty cook on griddle

Next step lets makes some Panini's !!!

Come back as I will be posting some great panini recipes....