We had this for dinner last night, and the night before… :) If you have homemade pesto, you’ve got to try this! It is so delicious. I say “homemade pesto” because I don’t know what store bought tastes like, and I can’t guarantee it…. but you might know of a good quality, delicious prepared pesto that you can purchase.
I plant basil every year and by the end of the summer they are big bushes and I ‘harvest’ basil all the time. I make batches of pesto and freeze them in ice cube trays so I can use it throughout the winter and spring. Some of our favorite dinners are meals that I make with pesto.
This Pesto Panini has pesto spread on the inside of both pieces of Italian bread (I use crusty, chewy bread from the bakery at the grocery store, such as a Neo-Tuscan Boule or Rosemary Boule…). Then I layer grilled chicken (I grill mine with some lemon pepper on it), tomatoes, avocado, roasted red peppers, and fresh mozzarella cheese (the kind that comes in a ball). I spread a little butter on the outsides of the bread (this is optional) and then grill it in a George Foreman-type of grill for five minutes. Serve immediately. (Submitted by Erin)
To make roasted red peppers, half the bell pepper and remove seeds and stem. Place face down on a sheet of tinfoil and place under the broiler. Broil until the skin is black all over, about 8 or so minutes. I cover the tops of the pepper with some tin foil when it gets black and continue to broil it so the remaining sides will blacken. Once the skin is black, fold the tinfoil around it to seal in the heat (or place in a bowl and cover with Saran wrap) and let sit for 20 minutes (I’ve scrimped on the time before, and I think it still tastes good). Then peel off the black skin and cut into slices.
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Looks great! Can’t go wrong with that great flavor combination!
Yummy, this is my kind of recipe. I’m assuming there’s a recipe to make home made pesto, right? Is it easy? I’m pretty sure I won’t grow the basil myself, you talented cook you, but I was just curious.
I haven’t ever tried to freeze fresh mozzarella… Hopefully you can get your hands on some, because it makes a difference in the panini. Fresh is saltier and just tastier… :)
Amy, I thought about posting the pesto recipe too (it’s totally easy)… My recipe for homemade pesto calls for 5 cups of packed fresh basil leaves. Of course you could half it, but who has 5 cups, or even 2 1/2 cups, of fresh basil in the winter? I decided to hold off on posting that recipe. :) You could buy fresh basil at the store, but it’s expensive and is only a handful of leaves… You should plant some basil plants this spring! Seriously, they are SO EASY to take care of, especially if they are in the ground as opposed to in a pot. We’ll have to talk. :) (Otherwise, I’m sure you could find someone who would share some basil leaves with you from their garden.)
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