Sweet Apple Fontina Panini Recipes

APPLE, FONTINA AND CARAMELIZED ONIONS FILO BITES

Steps:

• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the olive oil and the butter. Once the butter melts add the onions. Sauté the onions, stirring occasionally, until they are light golden brown. Add the salt and continue to cook and stir until the onions are well caramelized, about 20 minutes.
• While the onions sauté, core and dice the apples (without peeling them). Combine the diced apples, cinnamon, and sugar in a bowl.
• Add the apples to the skillet with the onions and sauté until the apples just begin to soften. Do not overcook. Remove from heat and set aside.
• Heat the oven to 350°F. Lightly spray two mini muffin tins with oil and set them aside.
• Unroll the 14"x18" package of filo and, with a sharp knife, cut it in half length-wise, leaving you with two stacks of 14"x9" sheets of filo. You will only need one of the stacks, so roll up the other, wrap it tightly with plastic wrap, and return to the refrigerator.
• Place one sheet of filo on a clean surface with the longest side in front of you. Brush with some of the melted butter to coat. Place a second sheet of filo on top of the first and butter it again. After that, repeat with a third sheet and then a fourth (keep the rest of the filo covered while you work so it won't dry out.). Cut the stack of four filo sheets into 3 strips horizontally. Then, cut the fillo strips 4 times vertically, forming 12 squares, each about 3"x3". Lift each square of filo and gently place in a mini muffin tin hole. Repeat with the rest of the squares. Place a heaping spoonful of the onion and apple filling and top with some grated cheese. Repeat with a second stack of four filo sheets and fill the second mini muffin tin.
• Bake for about 15 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Remove from the oven. Let cool slightly and then lift the fillo nests onto a serving platter. Serve at once.

CINNAMON APPLE PANINI

Steps:

• Lay out the bread slices and spread them both with cream cheese. Lay the apple slices on one piece of bread. Sprinkle on the cinnamon sugar. Press the 2 slices together.
• Butter one side of the sandwich and put it on a hot panini maker butter-side down. Butter the other side, close the lid and cook until it's toasted and warmed through. (If you do not have a panini maker, you can grill the sandwich in a skillet, laying another heavy skillet on top of the sandwich to press it together. Turn to grill the other side in the same way.)
• Sprinkle with powdered sugar, cut in half and serve!

SWEET-POTATO, APPLE, AND FONTINA GALETTE

Steps:

• Stir together amaretti crumbs, cheeses, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl.
• Peel sweet potatoes and thinly slice crosswise (1/16 inch thick) with slicer, then generously brush bottom of skillet with some melted butter and cover with one third of sweet-potato slices, overlapping slightly. Dab potatoes with butter, then sprinkle evenly with half of amaretti mixture.
• Core and peel apples, then thinly slice crosswise (into 1/16-inch-thick rings) with slicer. Working quickly to prevent apples from discoloring, add half of apples to skillet, overlapping slices slightly, and sprinkle with 1/8 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Top with half of remaining sweet-potato slices and dab with butter, then sprinkle with remaining amaretti mixture. Cover with remaining apples in an even layer. Sprinkle with 1/8 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper and cover with remaining sweet potatoes. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Brush a sheet of foil with butter, then brush galette with any remaining butter and place foil, buttered side down, on top. Place a 10-inch heavy skillet on top of foil to weight galette.
• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 375°F.
• Cook potato galette on top of stove over moderate heat until underside is golden, about 10 minutes. Remove top skillet and foil.
• Wearing oven mitts, carefully slide galette onto a baking sheet and invert skillet over it. Holding them together, invert galette, browned side up, back into skillet. Cook, uncovered, over moderately high heat until underside is pale golden, about 10 minutes. Transfer skillet to oven and bake galette until a knife inserted in center cuts through easily, about 20 minutes. Slide onto a serving plate.