Two Cheese Panini With Tomato Olive Pesto Recipes

PESTO, MOZZARELLA AND TOMATO PANINI

Steps:

• Heat closed contact grill 5 minutes.
• Cut each roll in half horizontally; brush outside of each half with oil. Spread pesto on inside of both halves. Layer each sandwich with cheese and tomato. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• When grill is heated, place sandwiches on grill. Close grill; grill 4 minutes or until bread is toasty and cheese is melted. Slice sandwiches on diagonal and serve warm.

PESTO GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICH

Steps:

• Spread one side of a slice of bread with butter, and place it, buttered side down, into a nonstick skillet over medium heat.
• Spread the top of the bread slice in the skillet with half the pesto sauce, and place a slice of provolone cheese, the tomato slices, and the slice of American cheese onto the pesto.
• Spread remaining pesto sauce on one side of the second slice of bread, and place the bread slice, pesto side down, onto the sandwich. Butter the top side of the sandwich.
• Gently fry the sandwich, flipping once, until both sides of the bread are golden brown and the cheese has melted, about 5 minutes per side.

MINI CHEESE SANDWICHES (PANINI WITH MOZZARELLA AND OLIVE TAPENADE)

Steps:

• Spread bread pieces on a work surface. Spread 1/2 tablespoon olive tapenade on half the pieces, then cover with a slice of mozzarella, then cover with the remaining bread slices. Butter both sides of the sandwich and grill in batches in a panini press until browned on both sides. Put on a platter and cover with foil to keep warm until serving.
• Put anchovies, garlic and thyme in a blender or food processor and puree. Add olives and olive oil, and pulse to a smooth paste. If it is too thin, add more pitted olives. If it is too thick, add more olive oil.

TWO-CHEESE PANINI WITH TOMATO-OLIVE PESTO

Steps:

• In a food processor, combine the sun-dried tomatoes with the olives and oregano. Season with pepper and process to a coarse paste.
• Lightly brush 1 side of each slice of bread with olive oil and set on a large baking sheet, oiled side down. Top half of the bread with the provolone, spread each slice with 1 tablespoon of the tomato-olive pesto and top with the mozzarella. Close the sandwiches with the remaining bread, oiled side up.
• Heat a griddle or a very large skillet. Arrange 3 or 4 sandwiches on the griddle and top with a cast-iron skillet: do not press the pan down. Cook the sandwiches over moderately high heat until golden on the bottom, about 2 minutes. Flip the sandwiches and cook until browned and the cheese is melted, about 2 minutes longer. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Repeat with the remaining sandwiches.
• Cut the crusts off the sandwiches, then cut into triangles and serve.
• MAKE AHEAD The panini can be prepared through Step 3 and stored on a wire rack at room temperature for up to 6 hours. Reheat on a baking sheet in a 350°F oven until crisp.

PENNE WITH TOMATOES, OLIVES AND TWO CHEESES

Steps:

• Heat 3 tablespoons oil in heavy large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; sauté until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Mix in tomatoes, dried basil and crushed red pepper. Bring to boil, breaking up tomatoes with back of spoon. Add broth; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium; simmer and mixture thickens to chunky sauce and is reduced to 6 cups, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill. Rewarm over low heat before continuing.)
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite. Drain well.
• Return pasta to same pot. Toss with 3 tablespoons oil. Pour sauce over and toss to blend. Mix in Havarti cheese. Transfer pasta to 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Sprinkle with olives, then Parmesan.
• Bake until pasta is heated through, about 30 minutes. Sprinkle with basil.

PENNE WITH TOMATOES, OLIVES AND TWO CHEESES

Steps:

• Heat 3 tablespoons of the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.
• Add onion and garlic and sauté for a few minutes until onion is translucent.
• Add tomatoes, basil and crushed red pepper.
• (See note below about the pepper).
• Crush tomatoes with a potato masher to break into smaller pieces.
• Add broth and bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat and simmer until sauce is reduced to 6 cups, stirring occasionally.
• This will take about an hour.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• When sauce is close to done, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until it is just tender but still a little bit firm to the bite.
• Drain pasta and toss with remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil.
• Stir in pasta mixing thoroughly.
• Mix in Havarti cheese.
• Pour into 13x9/2-inch glass baking dish.
• Sprinkle top with olives and then the Parmesan cheese.
• Bake at 350° until heated thoroughly, about 30 minutes.
• Sprinkle with fresh basil before serving.
• Note: Use your best judgment about the crushed red pepper.
• I found 1 1/2 teaspoons quite spicy.
• My whole family can enjoy this dish if I only use 1 teaspoon.

ULTIMATE PANINI FOR TWO

Steps:

• In a small skillet, saute onion in oil until softened. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes or until deep golden brown., Layer the cheese, ham, tomato, pickles and caramelized onion on two bread slices; top with remaining bread. Spread outsides of sandwiches with butter., Cook on a panini maker or indoor grill for 3-4 minutes or until bread is browned and cheese is melted.