Step 1: Decide what panini ingredients you want to purchase. Mike and I bought a 1/2 lb of 3 different deli meats (turkey, chicken and ham), 2 different kinds of sliced cheeses (swiss, mozzarella and we already had sharp cheddar slices on hand), pesto, a jar of roasted red peppers (to make roasted red pepper spread, see recipe at the bottom of the post) and bread (Italian)! Oh and I also had some onion and green pepper that I sliced up for the sandwiches. It doesn't really matter what ingredients you pick...just pick your favorites. I would recommend getting a fairly hearty bread. Our Italian bread didn't quite hold up when we grilled the sandwiches.
Step 2: Figure out what awesome friends you are going to invite. Yes, they have to be awesome. You can't have a great party without great friends: ) It might also help to set a date and time for the party too!
Step 3: Decide what to ask your guests to bring. I always try to give my guests some choices for what they want to bring and keep in mind that everyone is on a budget these days. One guest I asked to bring feta cheese ( It's her favorite so I knew she would be happy to bring it ) and some zuchinni. Another friend of mine (actually, a couple) I asked to bring a side dish. They brought a delicious broccoli, bacon and seeds dish! YUM! And finally I asked yet another guest to bring a dessert (strawberry cheesecake! Man my friends have great taste: ).
Step 4: On the day of the party, prepare all your ingredients. I sliced my onion and green pepper, tossed them in some oil, salt and pepper and sauteed them over medium heat for about 5 minutes. I knew the onions and green peppers would not cook on the grill inside the sandwich. I placed the slightly cooked veggies in a pretty bowl and put a serving spoon with them. I also spread out the cheese slices on a gorgeous little tray. I made my roasted red pepper spread and put that in a serving dish as well. Then I spread out all the food and serving dishes on my counter. When the zuchinni arrived, Mike sliced them super thin (about 1/8 to 1/4 of an inch thick) and I tossed them in a small (less than a teaspoon) amount of oil and some salt and pepper. These I didn't cook because zuchinni cooks relatively quick, especially when sliced so thin. Oh and don't forget to decorate your dining table too!
Step 5: When all your guests show up, start having a great time! Have your guests assemble their panini's (no rules here, whatever they want!) and when everyone has theirs assembled, put the panini's on a preheated (350 degrees) griddle. Don't have a griddle? Use a large, flat pan over medium heat. We also brushed a little olive oil on the outside of the bread so that it was nice and crispy. Use a fairly heavy cake or pie pan to press the panini's onto the griddle. When all paninis are cooked on both sides, serve them up and enjoy!
My panini party spread....
After we all ate dinner, the boys went out to play pool and the girls stayed in and played card games. It was a blast!
Oh yeah! The recipe.....
Roasted Red Pepper Spread
1 16oz jar roasted red pepper, drained
2-3 cloves garlic, peeled
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded or grated
1 tablespoon sugar
1/8 cup plain breadcrumbs
salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast (optional)
Place roasted red pepper in a food processor. Use garlic press and add garlic (or chop garlic and add it) to red peppers. Add the rest of the ingredients and process until the consistency is similar to basil pesto. Spread on paninis and enjoy!
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