Melissa, our baker, makes great grilled sandwiches. So we sat down with her to find how she did it.
PP: Melissa, those were great grilled sandwiches that you prepared for our newsletter. Can you give us some advice?
Melissa: Well, it’s hard to go wrong with a grilled sandwich—just use good ingredients and serve them while they are hot.
PP: Come on, Melissa. There’s more too it than that.
Melissa: Not much. I like to get all my ingredients staged on the counter before I begin cooking. Then I’m not rummaging through the refrigerator looking for condiments while my sandwich is burning.
That’s especially important when you are using a cast iron panini press. With the heat from the cast iron, heat from top and bottom, the sandwich cooks quickly.
PP: Anything else when using a panini press?
Melissa: Make sure you get both the pan and press hot before you start. Oh, and make sure the sandwich is well-oiled. If you like butter, use butter. If you like olive oil, well—use that.
Oh, and make your sandwiches a little thicker; the press will make them thinner.
PP: What’s the best part of a grilled sandwich?
Melissa: For me, it’s the melted cheese. I like the cheese really melted, oozing out the edges. Oh, and I like good quality cheese.
PP: Are there any of those sandwiches left?
Melissa: I doubt it.
