Photo: Nick Vagnoni
Now, you could go out and buy a Le Creuset Panini pan for upwards of $100, or you could just do what I did and use the cast iron pan and another grill pan you should already have in your kitchen.
For this pressed sandwich I split a baguette, drizzled it with olive oil and red wine vinegar, and layered it with fresh mozzarella (at room temperature), roasted peppers that I charred and skinned this morning, and some Thai basil from my garden. Italian basil would be more appropriate perhaps, but the Thai basil seems to deal with the Florida heat better than other varieties.
Anyway, I heated up my grill pan and my cast iron skillet, placed my sandwich in the pan with a piece of foil on top, and then pressed the hot and heavy cast iron skillet down onto the foil. I flipped the sandwich after a few minutes, grilled it some more, and then removed it to a cutting board. I let the cheese set briefly, and then cut it in half.
The results? The Thai basil added a fresh anise flavor to the mellow roasted peppers and mozzarella and the baguette stood up nicely to the moisture of the cheese. The acidity of the vinegar offset the sweetness of the peppers as well.
I’m sure the Le Creuset looks nice hanging from your pot rack, but this will certainly get the job done.
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