If you are lucky enough to have been gifted a panini press, as I was, it’s the main ingredient for any party: make it a build your own panini party.
Stack up some ciabatta buns. Set out a range of panini fixings: 2 or 3 sliced cheeses (I’m using brie and gruyere), proscuitto, thinly sliced apple or pear, roasted mushrooms (mine were marinated in a soy/lemon sauce), thinly sliced roasted red pepper, sliced tomato, ribbons of fresh basil, minced onion.
First up: I’m making a mushroom and gruyere panini. I’ve got leftover roasted mushrooms and red peppers in the fridge, so they’re going in. I thinly slice the gruyere, cut open a panini bun and drizzle some homemade basil oil (minced basil, olive oil) on one cut side of the bun and a smear of leftover marina sauce on the other bun.
Cheese goes down on both sides.
Mushrooms, red peppers, and chopped onion go next.
Into the panini press and on to the next panini. Cut open another panini bun, spread mayo on one side, basil oil on the other.
Add proscuitto, thinly sliced apple and brie, season with pepper, and into the panini press it goes.
Last panini up: Cut open another panini bun, smearing mayo on one side, basil oil on the other. Top with sliced tomatoes, shredded basil, and brie.
Into the panini press that goes. Ready now for our panini platter.
— Trish Hennessy
A Year in Sandwiches 