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Think you can’t make Panini without a panini maker? Caprese se puede! Yes you can make a panino without a panini maker! Delicious on bite one…
Ingredients for Caprese Se Puede Panini:
Amounts are to taste, depending on bread size.
fresh basil leaves
ripe tomatoes (Betty loves Roma; just make sure they’re fresh!)
fresh mozzarella cheese
fresh garlic (about 1/2 clove extra finely minced per sandwich)
balsamic vinegar (about 1/2 tablespoon per sandwich)
black pepper (optional)
bread (Betty love’s Trader Joe’s Panini Rolls)
Sí se puede!
Slice bread.
A soft bread or roll is great (and very squash-able!) . You can also use sliced sourdough or French baguette. Whatever you like.
Slice tomato. Betty loves Roma. Use tomatoes that are at the peak of freshness for this recipe.
Slice fresh mozzarella. Often called Buffalo Mozzarella and packaged in liquid, Betty prefers the Mozzarella log. It’s fresh, shrink-wrapped, easily slice-able and less salty :)
Mince garlic to a fine paste. If you have a Microplane, it will come in handy. You can also sprinkle a little coarse salt over minced garlic to create a paste. Chiffonade basil. Take a few leaves, roll and slice.
In a bowl combine minced garlic, chopped basil and balsamic vinegar. Why? Adding the minced garlic and chopped basil not only gives the balsamic something to cling to, so it doesn’t seep directly into the bread, it enhances the flavor… it’s multi-dimensional, yo.
Rome wasn’t built in a day, but…
On one half of bread layer mozzarella. Betty likes her slices a little less than 1/4″.
Add a layer of tomato. Betty likes these about 1/4″ also.
Spoon balsamic mixture over tomatoes.
Tear basil leaves and distribute over top of tomatoes. Mmmmmm!
Layer with more mozzarella slices.
Replace bread (roll top or panini bread). And…
Yes, you can make a panini without a panini grill!
Preheat your panini grill (LOL), grill pan, grill or skillet until medium-hot. You want melting action, not burning action, so don’t fire it up, yo!
Press and grill until crisp and melted. Betty likes to use this cute little saucepan with handles on either side so she can press evenly ;)
Grill until cheese is melted and bread is crisped to desired crispiness. Make it like you want it!
Search terms: betty #46, caprese se puede recipe, caprese recipe, fresh mozzarella recipe, panini recipe, panino recipe, italian recipe, sandwich recipe, buffalo mozzarella recipe, fresh basil recipe
Link to the Caprese Se Puede video.
Link to the accompanying Caprese Se Puede blog post.
Betty you inspire me to keep experimenting with different ingredients in an attempt to come up with my own B-B-Q sauce/rub.
Hi Michael!
Thanks for the great compliment… love that you are inspired :)
I’d certainly be interested in your homemade BBQ sauce/rub recipe when you develop it!
Cheers,
Betty
Hi kids!
Betty here :) Just wanted to share a cool tip I got from the Stringbean Coffee Shop out of Galax, Virginia. They use a George Foreman grill as a panini press! How cool is that? Talk about workin’ with whatchagot! Great tip, thanks Stringbean!
xo,
Betty
Hey Betty!
This recipe looks great, and what a good idea. I’m making these tomorrow for suuure. I’ll let you know how it turns out.
Rye bread works well in place of panini roll. And most any cheese works too. Love the tomatoes and garlic, basil and balsamic vinegar made toasted between two cast iron pans quick snack, absolutely great. It’s a keeper recipe! Thanks Betty
Hi Noor!
YAY! I’m so glad you like this one… can’t wait to hear how they turn out :)
Hi Rick!
So happy to hear that this one is a keeper :) The possibilities are endless with panini… thanks for writing and sharing your delicious suggestion!
Cheers y’all,
Betty
yum yo
This gives me a new reason to dust of the ol’ George Foreman. ;)
I can only imagine how good this tasted! YUM!
Wow, I am all of a sudden hungry. Thanks, off to the grocery store I go! ;-)