August is National Panini Month, and August 11th is National Panini Day, So Get Ready for All Things Panini!

National Panini Month is the perfect time to celebrate the hot, melty sandwich on a beautiful August day. Panini’s originated in Italy, and are basically a grilled sandwich made with non-sliced bread.  Sargento Foods founded National Panini Month in 2008, but some folks decided that didn’t go far enough, so National Panini Day made it on the yearly calendar as of August 11^th, 2015!  So now is your chance to break your regular old sandwich habit and panini away!

A precursor of panini appeared in a 16th-century Italian cookbook but it took hundreds of years for it to come into its own, really taking off in the 1970’s and 80’s. In fact, the 1980s young Italian hipster types who hung out in coffee-and-panini bars were known as “paninari.” The paninari revolted against the drabness of urban culture with colorful Italian fashion and a taste for fast food and “caferacer” motorcycles. Based in Milan, the paninaro craze spread across Italy. The British pop group Pet Shop Boys even recorded a song, Paniniaro, celebrating the paninari culture.

Panini’s can be made from a variety of options, but are especially good when pressed flat in a “panini press” with ciabatta, rosetta, and/or baguette breads.  Panini presses kind of look like waffle irons, only with flat plates, and are actually a pretty versatile device to have on hand in the kitchen. You can use them to make French toast, grilled cheese sandwiches, pita chips, omelets, pizza and your favorite breakfast sandwiches. Of course, some of us used to use actual irons and hot plates when we were back in college to get the panini effect. Speaking for a friend.

Paninis go great with chili, coleslaw, french fries, or your favorite soup!

There are many different ways to make a panini, but we suggest sticking to the original ingredients.  Try these classic panini variations:

• CAPRESE – Mozzarella (smoked optional), tomato and basil, cooked until golden.
• CAPRESE VARIATIONS – Anchovies and capers, or prosciutto and Parmesan cheese.
• EGGPLANT-MOZZARELLA – Mozzarella (smoked optional), grilled eggplant and basil, cooked until golden.
• PESTO TURKEY – A Caprese with pesto and slices of turkey breast.
• CHICKEN SALTIMBOCCA – Grilled chicken with pesto and prosciutto.
• APPLE-MANCHEGO – Apple slices and manchego cheese with olive oil and quince paste.
• PROSCUITTO & BRIE – The European version of Ham and Cheese.  Also tastes amazing with caramelized onions or roasted garlic.
• THREE-MEAT – Sliced soppressata, capicola, salami, fontina and roasted red peppers.

Enjoy your favorite panini today! And don’t forget to spread the Panini love by snapping a posting a pic on social media with #NationalPaniniMonth or #NationalPaniniDay on the 11^th!

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Photo Credit:  Brent Hofacker / Shutterstock.com