A panini grill is a small countertop appliance used to grill sandwiches. It is often used in Italy to make hot sandwiches filled with Italian meats and cheeses. The grill is also popular in the United States and can be used to make a variety of sandwiches with different fillings. The panini grill is relatively inexpensive and can be used to prepare sandwiches quickly without adding extra fat. If you don’t have a panini grill, you can use a griddle or skillet as a substitute.
A panini grill is generally a small countertop grill, comparable in size and function to a waffle iron. Heat is applied to both sides, but unlike the waffle, this grill is usually rippled, which produces an aesthetically pleasing series of brown bars on the top and bottom of the bun, the sandwich it grills.
There is some confusion about the name panini grill. In Italy, where this appliance first became popular, the grill is simply called panini. The grilled sandwich he makes is called a sandwich or sandwiches in the plural. The English translation has resulted in the sandwich, both singular and plural, being called panini. The grill used to make the sandwich is a panini grill. To make matters more confusing, panini in Italian can also simply refer to a round sandwich.
The panini grill is often seen throughout Italy in coffee carts, where you can get a hot sandwich filled with Italian meats like salami or ham and cheeses like provolone. The bread used in Italy tends to be flat focaccia, or round, rather flat rolls. The sandwich’s popularity in the United States continues to swell. Even fast food manufacturers like Jack-in-The-Box now offer a variety of these grilled sandwiches.
In the United States and parts of Europe, one can order the traditional Italian sandwiches, or sandwiches with more exotic fillings. Famous chefs have created sandwich recipes with chicken, sole and other meats, as well as vegetables, to add variety to the already popular Italian style. The panini grill has become an indispensable appliance in the kitchen for creating these wonderfully hot sandwiches with your choice of fillings. They are relatively inexpensive, ranging in price from under 100 to over 200 US dollars (USD). The standard grill can be used to prepare two sandwiches at a time, although a larger grill can be purchased for more money.
The panini grill has the advantage of grilling a panini without adding any extra fat, unlike grilling a panini in a pan. For those watching their weight, the sandwich can be grilled with lower calorie ingredients, but still provide flavor and interest to the typical cold sandwich. Different types of bread with lower carbohydrates can also be substituted for white flour breads. The cooking time is also quick; most sandwiches are grilled within minutes.
If one does not own a panini grill, there are several permissible substitutions. The sandwich can be prepared on a griddle or in a skillet, although it won’t look the same as one prepared in a grill. You also have to flip the sandwich over when making the sandwich this way, so both sides are equally hot.
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