Cookerati

My husband and son would declare every night sandwich night if it will get them out of cooking.  Some nights I make Panini though I don’t consider it sandwich night then, it’s real food. My husband asked what the difference is between grilled cheese and  Panini; my daughter said, “it’s the grill marks”.  Yes, grill marks make all the difference – and the cheese.  I’m not a big American cheese food fan, I like delicious flavorful cheese.  Sargento’s has some nice cheese in the dairy case to try out in your Panini.

Panini is actually the plural of panino. According to Wikipedia -A panino (Italian pronunciation: [paˈniːno]) is a sandwich made from a small 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 hot after having pressed in a grill. I cheat because I don’t own a Panini grill.  I use my grill pan and put a pot on top of the sandwich.  When it’s done, I turn it over and put the pot on top again for the other side.  We love our Panini.  It goes great with a salad, soup, potato or other side. 

Sargento has some great cheese to experiment with. 

Reduced Fat Pepper Jack Sliced Natural Cheese incorporates both habañero and jalapeño peppers, adding a “heat” not found in any other sliced cheese, for a delicious flavor combination and only 50 calories a slice.

Sargento Sharp Provolone Cheese is aged 60 days and boasts a bold taste. It is not smoked like traditional milder Provolone. With smooth and creamy texture, this semi-hard cheese is ideal for sandwiches, burgers,Panini and “melts.”

Previously a Sargento Limited Edition cheese, the Vermont Sharp White Cheddar Sliced Natural Cheese is back by popular demand. Naturally aged to deliver a rich, full-bodied taste, its tangy cheese signature flavor is perfect for sandwiches, grilled Panini or any recipe that calls for sensational sliced cheese.

The Vermont Sharp White Cheddar is the cheese we used to make our Bacon Tomato White Cheddar Panini. I added pepper dijonaise to give it a little zing. We’re planning on trying out all these cheeses in different combinations to make our Panini this month!