The Panini Press

Posted by Annette Bellisari on

THE PANINI PRESS

 

The panini press doesn’t have to be just for sandwiches. Today many people use the kitchen press for a variety of other recipes. Here are a few from our Bellisari’s test kitchen for you to try out.

Press Omelette

Serves 1

Ingredients:
2 eggs
1 oz. of fresh spinach
2 slices of pancetta
1 Tbsp. of Bellisari’s Blue Cheese Honey & Shallot Spread

Directions:
Lay pancetta on the press and close the lid. Cook the bacon until crispy and brown, about 2 minutes. Remove the bacon to a plate. Do not drain the fat. Whisk the eggs and Bellisari’s Blue Cheese, Honey & Shallot Spread, and then scatter the spinach on the press, pour the egg mixture over the spinach, close the lid, and cook for 1 minute. Using tongs, remove the cooked egg and spinach from the press and fold gently. Dice the pancetta to top your omelette and serve.

Fig & Mascarpone Croissant French Toast

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:
8 large croissants
4 cups heavy cream
4 large eggs
1 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1 tsp. cinnamon
8 oz. mascarpone, softened
1 jar Bellisari’s Blistered Jalapeno & Fig Spread

Directions:
For the batter, whisk the heavy cream, eggs, nutmeg, and cinnamon together in a large bowl. Set aside. Slice the croissants in half horizontally. Spread the mascarpone cheese on the middle. Close the croissants and set aside. Preheat the press. When the press is hot, dunk two croissants in the batter, lay on press, close and cook for approximately 4 minutes. Top with warmed Bellisari’s Blistered Fig and Jalapeno Spread and enjoy.

Grilled Veggies

Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 zucchini, sliced thinly
2 portobello mushrooms, cleaned and sliced on a diagonal
2 roasted bell peppers (from a jar is fine)
8 oz. of fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced 
Extra virgin olive oil to coat panini press
1 jar Bellisari’s Balsamic Shallot & Black Garlic Spread 
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Preheat the press. Drizzle the eggplant, mushrooms and zucchini with some olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Closing the lid, grill the veggies for a few minutes on each side until they develop some grill marks and have softened. Remove to plate and using a brush, coat the veggies with Bellisari’s Balsamic Shallot & black Garlic Spread.

Barista BBQ Chicken Flatbread

Serves 4

Ingredients: 
1 readymade flatbread 
1/3 cup + 2 Tbsp. of Bellisari’s Barista Sauce 
1 cup cooked, sliced chicken breast (about one 8 oz. breast) 
2/3 cup shredded mozzarella cheese 
2/3 cup shredded provolone cheese 
½ small red onion, thinly sliced 
½ cup cooked corn
Fresh cilantro, for topping
Aluminum foil
Olive oil spray

Directions:
Preheat the panini press to 300 degrees. Toss 2 Tbsp. of Bellisari's Barista Sauce with the cooked, chopped chicken to coat it. Set aside. Spray the olive oil spray on the foil and then lay the flatbread on the foil. Spread 1/3 cup of Barista Sauce on flatbread, then layer on the shredded mozzarella, then the coated chicken, shredded provolone, then the onion slices and corn. Carefully place the foil with the flatbread on the press. Ideally your panini press will allow you to fix the height of the upper plate so that it can hover over the pizza as it cooks. If not, make a ball of aluminum foil and prop the press open. Cook for 6-8 minutes. Top with fresh cilantro. Serve immediately.

Flat Iron Steak

Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 ½ lb. flat iron steak
Coarse salt and black pepper
8 fingerling potatoes
Olive oil
1 jar Bellisari’s Saigon Street Sauce

Directions:
Place fingerling potatoes in a large pot and cover with enough water to cover potatoes. Add salt and boil for 10 minutes. Drain and set aside. Heat the panini press to high and pat the steak dry with paper towels. Salt and pepper both sides generously. Place the steak on the grill and close lid and cook for 9-11 minutes for medium rare. Remove the steak and let rest for 10 minutes. While steak is resting, cut potatoes in half, toss in olive oil and place them cut side down on panini maker. Close lid and cook for 4 minutes. Warm Bellisari’s Saigon Street Sauce and drizzle on both steak and potatoes. Enjoy!



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