Read First Before Buy Calphalon Contemporary Nonstick Panini Press
I received this as a gift and was so impressed with the versatility of the pan! It works beautifully for years now and I've made many varieties of panini, quesadillas, and grilled veggies. Some of my favorite panini combos are: 1) apple, bacon, brie; 2) tomato, mozzarella, pesto; 3) avocado, pepper jack cheese, tomato.
To get grill marks on both sides of the panini: Put two slices of bread on the heated pan, only put your cheese on one slice, and all your toppings on the other slice. Once the cheese is mostly melted, put that bread slice on top of the toppings slice. Then use the lid to press the pieces together and let it heat through. I like focaccia best because it presses well without losing its texture but I've also used soft wheat bread and sliced white bread successfully.
The pan is also great for quesadillas! I put a tortilla on the heated pan and spread cheese and salsa on half the tortilla. Once the cheese starts to melt, fold the tortilla onto itself and use the lid to press together.
I've used the pan as a grill for veggies like zucchini, red pepper, green pepper, and onions by lightly spraying it with olive oil and adding a little garlic just before I'm ready to take the veggies off.
I rarely put the burner above medium heat. I've found it's best to put your oil on, set the burner to medium-low and let the pan heat up for about 5 minutes before adding your bread or tortilla.
what kind of machine should we buy?
BalasHapus