Enjoy a little sandwich with big taste
I had the good fortune the other day to have lunch with a friend buy me a wonderful lunch at a restaurant famous for its bread and its soup.
I had a pasta fazool-like soup and a panini sandwich with tomatoes, cheese and spinach. It was so delicious I wanted to get another, but it would be rude to make such a request...so I decided to wait to make my own at home.
I love my kitchen gadgets, but I can't afford all the nifty things I want. A panini maker is one of those things that I don't really want, however. The gas grill on my back porch is just fine for toasting the sandwich I wanted. Don't spend 40 bucks or more on a specialized grill if you already have a grill you usse for cookouts.
The word panino is Italian for "small bread roll"; its plural form is panini. The word is the diminutive form of pane ("bread"). So enjoy a small sandwich with a big taste.
Panini with Cheese, Spinach and Sun-dried Tomatoes
¼ cup of softened goat cheese, softened ¼ cup of ricotta
¼ teaspoon of Italian seasoning (a few pinches each of oregano, basil, garlic powder and thyme)
4 slices of thick sourdough bread
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 cup of spinach leaves
¼ cup of sliced drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
¼ cup of Parmesan cheese
Pepper to taste
- In a bowl, combine goat cheese, ricotta and Italian seasoning.
- Brush one side of each bread slice with oil. Place two slices on a work surface, oiled side down, and evenly layer with goat cheese mixture, spinach, tomatoes and Parmesan. Sprinkle with pepper. Cover with top halves, oiled side up, and press gently to pack.
- Place sandwiches on a preheated grill, cook until the bread is golden brown. Flip and cook on the other side.
- Serve immediately.
