Mozzarella and Ham Panini
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Everyday Food, May 2006
- Prep Time 15 minutes
- Total Time 35 minutes
- Yield Serves 4
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Ingredients
- 1 large loaf Italian bread (8 ounces)
- 8 ounces fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced
- 4 ounces shaved deli ham
- 2 ounces baby spinach (2 cups, loosely packed)
- Coarse salt and ground pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Directions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Split bread horizontally. Layer one side with mozzarella, ham, and spinach, beginning and ending with mozzarella, seasoning with salt and pepper as you go. Close sandwich. (Mozzarella being in direct contact with bread on both sides will hold sandwich together as cheese melts.)
- Brush a large baking sheet with some of the oil. Place sandwich on sheet; brush top with remaining oil. Place another baking sheet on top (cover bottom of sheet with aluminum foil, if necessary), and press down very firmly.
- Bake panini, pressing down top baking sheet once or twice during baking, until cheese has melted and sandwich is golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Cut into 4 pieces, and serve with Cherry Tomato Salad.
This recipe is a favorite in our home and so easy. I always thought I'd need a panini press to make a sandwich like this! I've even used individual sub rolls and regular sliced bread when I don't have Italian bread, and this recipe is always a hit! Toddlers (and adults) enjoy this with sweet potato fries instead of the cherry tomato salad.
This was really delicious and really quick! I accidentally bought a pre-sliced loaf so we sprayed some Pam on our George Forman grill and pressed the sandwiches that way. They turned out great - maybe even better than using a regular loaf of Italian bread and pressing in the oven. I highly recommend using a ball of fresh mozzarella rather than packaged sliced mozzarella because the creaminess of the fresh is sooo good.
Our family loved this! 4 kids and 2 adults. My sister made it too and she said it was a big hit at her house as well! We liked that it was a quick and easy dinner to make after a big day of shopping. So delicious! I followed all instructions except I used a french bread that was very long so I used shredded mozzarella on the bottom and the mozzarella slices on the top. I laid my iron skillet on the top cookie sheet and that worked well. I baked mine at 450 for 9 minutes and it was perfect.
I like the flavor and ease of this simple panini. Next time I make it, though, I think I'd try a flatter bread, like a ciabatta. The Italian loaf was just too much bread. As a warning: the sides and bottom of my sandwich began to blacken at about 15 minutes. I would suggest reducing the temperature, or time of baking. Twenty to 25 minutes would have burnt the whole thing.
I really like this recipe but I like adding green onions and a little spice. I like to make a small dipping sauce on the side sometimes.
I put cream cheese, sour cream, one egg white, a pinch of salt and pepper and then I add whatever herbs and spices I want, depending on the meat though....
I like to add dill, green onion, garlic, parsley and a couple of spices.
This was a delicious crunchy, melted sandwich.