Paninis are mouth-watering Italian delicacies. Though it has a French origin, Panini-lovers reside worldwide. Many people, however, mix up Panini and sandwiches together. They have a lot of similarities, but they are not the same.
The term ‘sandwich’ is a giant umbrella that includes Panini. Yes, that means Panini sare sandwiches. The difference mainly lies in its origin, choice of bread, and the ingredients selected for the filling. Usually, for Panini sandwiches, more significant and denser Italian bread is chosen. Grilled Panini can be made using Panini Makers.
This article will help you to understand the differences between sandwiches and Panini and share a couple of delicious Panini recipes that are simple and can be made at home. Stop drooling! Wear your apron and open the pantry!
Is a panini a sandwich?
There are slight nuances between regular sandwiches and Panini. They are like close cousins—almost similar but with differences. It is popularly said that all Panini are sandwiches, but all sandwiches are not Panini. The difference is while a sandwich uses any kind of bread, Panini needs particular types of Italian bread.
Difference between Panini and Sandwich
A typical sandwich has fillings or patties between two buns or two slices of bread, and this bread or filling could be of any category and made out of any combination of ingredients. Sandwiches were born in the western world out of the necessity of having portable food that you can carry around in your bag or purse while traveling or to your workplace, store, reheat, and eat whenever your heart desires.
Sandwiches could be of different types—savory sandwiches like the deli meat sandwich or the sweeter ones like a jelly sandwich. Some examples of sandwiches that people eat worldwide include but are not limited to—hamburgers, Reuben sandwiches, Panini, Croque Monsieur, Submarine sandwiches, Shawarma, Doner sandwich, Open sandwich, and English sandwich. They could take varieties of names under an array of disguises, but whatever you call them, they remain the usual “filling between two bread pieces.”
You might have understood by now that Panini is one kind of sandwich. Panini, singularly known as a Panino, is Italian food—food historians have stated that Panini was born in the sandwich outlets of Italy. Paninis are different from a regular sandwich because they don’t use just any bread but particular types of French bread. The two pieces of bread mostly used in making paninis are Focaccia and Ciabatta. Focaccia is a flatbread, while Ciabatta is a loaf of bread. In a sandwich, the content or the middle filling is the king, while in Panini, it is the bread that counts. In Panini, different foods are required for other stuffing, so the sandwich does not fall apart. Different kinds of bread also add a different flavor to the Panini.
Sandwiches are made with regular dough bread or buns. On the other hand, Panini is made using specially baked Italian bread, such as Baguette, Ciabatta, or Michetti. They are the best bread for panini. In modern cookbooks, you will find that people love it when Panini is served with grill marks on them.
The fillings of Panini have no limitation—you can use your imagination to create a stuffing. You may use turkey, chicken, ham, or beef splashed with cheese, tomatoes, spinach, and avocadoes. Panini lovers also use chocolate, noodles, macaroni, and marshmallows to add their unique touch to their beloved cuisine.
Paninis are usually served with the sandwich cut horizontally, and the fillings could range anywhere between salami, ham, cheese, and vegetables. The latest trend demands that these are served grilled—the Panini Maker or Panini Grill fulfills this demand.
How to make panini at home
Below is the step-by-step procedure to make the perfect Panini:
- Take a piece of Ciabatta bread, and cover both sides of the dough with thick layers of butter. Regular butter would work wonders. Cut the bread into two slices along the vertical length. Apply generous spreads of mayonnaise on each layer.
- Insert the filling. The filling could consist of chicken, turkey, bacon, ham, and cheese. You can also include vegetables and fruits like spinach, sprouts, basil, tomatoes, avocado, strawberries, and raspberries. Fillings could also contain chocolate, marshmallows, macaroni, and meatballs—the sky is the limit.
- Season the filling with salt and pepper. Black Sea salt is fantastic.
- Cover the mixture with the top bread piece, and place the whole Panini inside a Panini Press or Grill. Add some oil.
- You can cut the panini into two parts and serve them with sauce, french fries, or crackers.
Wrapping Up
Paninis are famous worldwide. Some delicious Panini recipes can make your day. Thanks to Panini Makers or Grills, now you can make this famous Italian recipe in the comfort of your own home! You can make a delicious Panini within 10 minutes. Bring a Panini maker home and make lip-smacking Panini for your families and friends!