Panini

Panini alla Piastra (Pressed Italian Sandwich)

A classic Italian pressed sandwich made on ciabatta or filone, filled with cold cuts, mozzarella and pesto, then grilled on a ridged cast-iron pan until the crust is crisp and well-marked. The bread is the foundation: chewy inside, crackly outside, with fillings that soften just enough to bind to it.

Prep

10 min

Cook

6 min

Total

16 min

Serves

2

Difficulty

Easy

Recipe ingredients

• •2 loaves (2 small loaves) ciabatta or filone rolls, about 120 g / 4 oz each; small Italian-style loaves, not US supermarket 'ciabatta' if possible
• •80 g (3 oz) prosciutto crudo, Italian dry-cured ham, thinly sliced
• •100 g (3½ oz) fresh mozzarella, fior di latte or buffalo mozzarella, sliced and patted dry
• •40 g (1½ oz) sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and roughly torn
• •60 g (2 oz) roasted red peppers, jarred or homemade, drained and patted dry
• •2 tbsp basil pesto, traditional Genoese, made with basil, pine nuts, garlic, Parmesan and olive oil
• •20 g (1 handful) rucola (rocket / arugula), stems discarded
• •8 leaves fresh basil, whole small leaves
• •2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing the bread
• •1 pinch fine sea salt, or null
• •1 pinch freshly ground black pepper, or null

Steps

1. 1 Slice each ciabatta or filone in half horizontally. If using a long filone, cut into two roughly 12 cm / 5 in pieces so you get a manageable portion per person. Lightly score the soft interior crumb with a knife so it opens cleanly without tearing.
2. 2 Pat the mozzarella slices dry between paper towels and let them sit at room temperature for 5 minutes; too-cold cheese will not melt evenly. Pat the roasted peppers dry as well — excess moisture is the enemy of a crisp crust.
3. 3 Lay the open rolls on the counter, cut side up. Brush the cut surfaces of both halves with extra-virgin olive oil, then spread the pesto over the bottom halves only. Reserve the oil that clings to the sun-dried tomatoes for another use.
4. 4 Layer the bottom half in this order so the wet ingredients sit nearest the pesto and the greens stay dry against the top crust: prosciutto, mozzarella, sun-dried tomatoes, roasted peppers. Season the mozzarella lightly with salt and pepper.
5. 5 Scatter the rucola and fresh basil leaves over the top half of the bread, then close the sandwich. Press down gently with the palm of your hand so the layers compact without crushing the greens out the sides.
6. 6 Heat a cast-iron ridged pan (or a panini press) over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes until a drop of water skitters across the surface. If using a press, preheat it closed for the same time. Do not oil the ridges — the brushed bread provides the release.
7. 7 Place the sandwiches on the dry, hot pan or press. If using a flat ridged pan, weight them with a heavy second pan or a foil-wrapped brick, pressing firmly but not so hard that the filling squeezes out. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes total, flipping once at the halfway point if using a pan (not needed on a press), until the crust is deeply golden and bears clear, dark grill marks and the mozzarella is visibly melting at the edges.
8. 8 Lift onto a board and rest for 1 minute — the cheese and pesto settle back toward the bread so each bite holds together. Cut each sandwich on the diagonal and serve immediately, while the crust is still crackling and the cheese is molten.