The panino vs. panini debate is pretty serious. Have you ever heard of the word ‘panino’? Did you ever wonder if it’s the same thing as a panini? Or is it a variation of the sandwich?
Panini has become one of the most popular foods in the world. Besides being delicious to eat, it’s also easy to make. It isn’t like your usual sandwich.
The signature grill marks on paninis have made it more famous. With only Italian bread, cheese, and meat, you can grill yourself the incredible panini. Especially the turkey panini has become a favorite. You can make panini at home using your panini press.
Panino vs. Panini
Panini is a pressed sandwich that originated in Italy. It became popular in the west, and we use the term ‘panini’ to refer to all grilled sandwiches. But you may have noticed that some people, especially authentic Italian cafes, call it ‘panino’ sometimes.
So, is it panino or panini? The answer is both. While we may call pressed sandwiches panini, the singular form of panini is panino. When you order one pressed sandwich, you are technically ordering a panino. The word originates from Italian, so there’s a bit of confusion in English. Panino is the singular form, while panini is the plural one. Both refer to the same bread sandwich with Italian cheese, greens, and meat. You can call it both in America, but it’s best to be careful when you order in Europe.
What is a Panini?
Paninis aren’t your usual sandwich. They started in Italy and contained Italian meat and cheese. But you can use products from anywhere. But what makes panini a panini is that it is pressed grilled.
Any bread will work but choosing a dense one that can hold all the ingredients is best. You don’t want the sandwich to fall apart when you take a bite. Ciabatta and sourdough are the two best choices. Herbed bread like focaccia, French bread, and Italian herb bread are good options.
Salami, cold cuts and prosciutto are the best for the meat. You can use chicken, turkey, beef, and even fish. You can use mushrooms, eggplant, and tofu substitutes for vegan paninis. Provolone and mozzarella are best for paninis. Pesto, spinach, olive, roasted red pepper paste, sundried tomatoes, herbs, balsamic vinegar, and avocado add extra punch to the sandwich.
One of the best parts about panini is that you can customize it as you want. Before grilling the sandwich, cook the protein filling first, then put it in the sandwich. Butter both sides and grill; press or cook the sandwich.
How much is a panini maker?
Just like all appliances, panini makers come in wide price ranges. You can get them for 30-150 dollars range. The bigger presses cost more. Some have temperature control and removable tops. Therefore, you can cook almost anything on them. Before buying a panini maker, research the different presses, and you’ll be able to find one that fits your needs.
How to make a Turkey Panini?
Turkey panini has become the trend these days. The lean meat goes well with cheese and greens. It’s a great healthy food that can be filling and nutritious.
To make a turkey sandwich, you will need bread, sliced cooked turkey breast, tomato slices, mayonnaise, provolone cheese, and butter. For extra taste, you can add basil pesto or mashed avocado.
First, mix mayonnaise with pesto or mashed avocado. Combine them well, and then spread the mix into the bread slices. Place the turkey slices on top of the spread side. Then add cheese and tomato slices on top. You can also add herbs and eggs. Put another slice of bread and complete the sandwich.
While it’s possible to eat it without grilling, the essence of panini lies in the grilled or pressed bread. You can use a regular grill, a panini press, or a pan to cook the sandwich.
Cook the bread on both sides with butter. For grills or pans, flip the panini to cook both sides evenly. Panini presses can cook both sides at the same time.
Where to buy panini bread?
Dense bread like ciabatta and sourdough are the best choices for panini. The grilled marks on the panini make it famous and have become its distinct feature. So, where will you get the famous panini bread?
One of the best options is to make your bread. You can whip up bread easily with flour and yeast. But you can look into your local bakeries if you don’t want to do that. Local bakeries have handmade artisan bread that is great in quality even though it can be expensive.
There is a wide variety of bread available. You can get panini bread from food retailers. These bread are less expensive too. Another option is Amazon fresh. You need to sign up for it, and after that, you can buy all sorts of fresh produce, including panini bread.
How to reheat a panini?
While many would say always eat fresh paninis rather than reheating one, it isn’t always possible. Reheating paninis is quite easy, and you can do it in several ways. To store your panini in the fridge, wrap it in saran wrap and put it inside a ziplock bag.
To heat a panini on the stove, put a small amount of butter in the pan and let it heat up. Then place the sandwich, heating each side for a minute. If it’s a big panini, it will require more time.
You can use the oven too. Cook it at 375 F for 5 minutes on each side. A microwave isn’t suggested because it will make the panini soggy and ruin the texture.
Conclusion
I hope you now know the difference between panini and panino. Both mean the same sandwich, but the quantity sets them apart. Next time you order a panini, remember to ask for a panino if you order a single sandwich.