Panini are gourmet sandwiches stuffed with a variety of meats, cheeses and high quality toppings and sauces. They are often served in restaurants as appetizers. They can be stuffed with just about anything you can think of. If you are still unfamiliar with Panini, here are the top three things you should know about them:
1. Panini are very nutritious
If you want a tasty yet healthy treat, panini can provide you with both. Although they are made with superior cheeses and meats, you can also include vegetables and fruits in your panini. You can add sliced onions, sliced green peppers, sliced black olives, cucumber and pineapple.
2. Panini taste great grilled
Just like your favorite sandwiches, panini taste best when grilled. Make mouthwatering panini by grilling them on low heat for several minutes or until golden brown. Most people prefer using slightly stale bread compared to fresh since it is usually crispier when grilled. Bread that is a day or two old can also stand up to the grilling process better.
3. Panini are the best appetizers
Do you often wonder what to serve company? Panini make fantastic appetizers. You can pretty much put anything in them, even leftovers, grill them before your company arrives, place them on a baking sheet and in the oven to stay warm. Cut them up, place them on a nice platter and your company will be wowed! If you have leftover chicken, make some chicken panini by adding provolone or mozzarella cheese to some ciabatta bread. Throw in some Italian dressing, pesto or hummus and you have a delicious appetizer that will blow your guests away.
4. Panini are easy to prepare
You don't need to be a professional chef in order to make panini. You don't even need a lot of skill. Seriously, panini are probably the easiest food you'll ever prepare. Panini are rarely the same because every time you make them something different will go into them. Leftovers, frittata (omelet), chocolate, etc If you can imagine it, you can make it! You can also surf the Internet or purchase a panini recipe book to help you get on your way.
5. Panini are fun to prepare
You can enjoy preparing panini with your loved ones especially with your kids. Panini are so much fun to make and you can experiment with different ingredients. Cut up all kinds of vegetables, cheese and cooked chicken breasts or ground beef. This will allow your kids to pick what they want to put in their panini. You can make Italian panini, Mexican panini, and even pizza-style panini depending on the ingredients you use.
It helps to know what exactly that panini are Italian sandwiches. It's also great to know the benefits of panini like the fact that you can make them in minutes and that they can be very healthy. Remember that paninos (a.k.a panini) are very nutritious appetizers which are easy and fun to make.
Sabrina Rocca
Author: Easy Panini Recipes
For more great panini recipes and ideas, visit http://www.easypaninirecipes.com.