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June 18, 2024
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Indulge in this "Everything but the Kitchen Sink" Italian Panini! Pile on layers of salami, ham, pepperoni and turkey with fresh tomato, banana peppers, artichoke hearts, gooey mozzarella and marinated mixed greens – then grill to perfection!
The name of this sandwich is quite meaningful, in that it really did consist of pretty much everything that I had in the fridge at the time I made it. How I came up with this sandwich went a little like this:
Have a few leftover charcuterie meats that you don’t know what to do with? Okay, let’s make a sandwich! Got a bag of spring mix collecting dust in your fridge? Toss it in some homemade Italian dressing and throw it on the sandwich! Half a jar of marinated artichokes? Sandwich! Old banana peppers? Sandwich! I think you can see my creative process (I am an artist after all.)
I think it’s no surprise that the results were incredible, a true work of art, really. And you absolutely do not need a panini press to make this, I just whipped out my George Foreman and went to town. (Try covering it in aluminum foil for extra easy cleanup!) If you don’t have a George Foreman, you could always just throw it in the oven or on an actual grill.
I’m not adding amounts here because it is really up to you – layer as much or as little of each ingredient as you want. It’s a sandwich, so you really can’t go wrong! There’s no right way to make this sandwich, all I ask is that you enjoy the messy process and share a half with someone you love!
Everything I Used to Make This Italian Panini
- Italian Dressing: This easy Italian dressing is made with olive oil, red wine vinegar, a little fresh lemon juice, chopped fresh basil, oregano, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper.
- Sourdough: Really any bread will work for this sandwich, however I feel that Aldi sourdough is the superior bread to use for paninis! But you could also use thicker bread like an Italian loaf or even a sub bun if you prefer.
- Meats: For this sandwich, I layered fresh deli turkey, pepperoni, hot capocollo and hot calabrese, but you can really use any deli meats that you want. Any kind of salami or ham would also work well on this sandwich.
- Veggies: I also added sliced fresh tomatoes, marinated artichokes, banana peppers and chopped mixed greens tossed in the homemade Italian dressing to this sandwich.
- Cheese: I used two slices of fresh mozzarella, but any kind of light cheese like provolone or even parmesan would work well with the other ingredients.
This sandwich is best enjoyed with a side of crispy kettle cooked chips and a nice spritz to wash it down – enjoy!
“Everything but the Kitchen Sink” Italian Panini
Ingredients
For the Dressing
- olive oil
- red wine vinegar
- lemon juice
- fresh basil
- oregano
- garlic powder
- red pepper flakes
- salt
- pepper to taste
For the Sandwich
- 2 slices sourdough
- deli turkey
- pepperoni
- hot capocollo
- hot calabrese
- tomato sliced
- marinated artichoke hearts
- banan peppers
- mozzarella slice
- mixed greens
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, fresh lemon juice, chopped fresh basil, oregano, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Add mixed greens to the bowl and toss, then set aside.
- On top of sourdough slice, layer turkey, pepperoni, capocollo and calabrese, followed by sliced tomatoes, marinated artichokes, banana peppers and marinated mixed greens. Finally, top with mozzarella slices and second sourdough slice.
- Carefully place sandwich on the grill (or oven) and cook for 5 minutes, or until bread is crisp and cheese has melted.
- Remove from grill, slice in half and serve immediately!
