We love to make paninis when we visit Little House in the Rockies in Central Colorado. There’s something about eating a hearty sandwich by the fire while looking out the window at a snowy forest – it’s comforting food in an even more comforting setting.
The latest is a throw-together panini that turned out great! Canadian bacon, provolone, mushrooms and fresh basil on ciabatta buns rocks! Here are some loose instructions; this is a recipe that is wonderful in its inexactness. If you don’t have a panini press (or two), just make this sandwich like a grilled cheese, turning it to cook each side.
Canadian Bacon, Provolone and Mushroom Panini (Makes 6)
Ingredients
- 6 ciabatta buns
- 12 Canadian bacon slices
- 6 slices provolone cheese
- 2/3 cup of sliced mushrooms
- approximately 1/4 cup Italian dressing
- 1/2 bunch of fresh basil, roughly chopped or torn
- freshly ground pepper
- small amount of olive oil in a bowl (to brush on the buns)
- Dijon mustard and dill pickles (optional, for serving)
Cooking Instructions
Toss the mushrooms in a small bowl with just enough Italian dressing to coat them. Open the ciabatta buns and lay them out on a cutting board, then arrange mushrooms on the bottom half of each bun. Top with a generous amount of the torn basil, then with freshly ground pepper. Next, add the provolone, one slice for each sandwich, folding the slices so that they don’t hang over the sides of the buns. Follow with two slices of Canadian bacon for each sandwich, then add the bun tops. Turn the paninis over and brush lightly with olive oil on the bottom.
Heat the panini press to medium and add the sandwiches, olive oil side down, then brush the tops with more olive oil. Close the press carefully, press down, and cook until the inside of the paninis are done and the ciabatta buns are nicely toasted. Serve with Dijon mustard or other condiments, as desired.
Note: these panini presses are Sunbeam, and while they’re fine for a little cabin in the Rockies, we prefer the one we have at home. It gets a workout every Wednesday when the Grill-Meister makes dinner, AKA Sandwich Wednesday. Read all about it in the posts below, which also provide a couple of recipes and panini cookbook recommendations.
- Sandwich Wednesday: the Gift that Keeps on Giving
- Sandwich Wednesday: New Cookbook
- Hearty Ham & Sharp Cheddar Panini on Jalapeño-Cheese Bread
Happy paninis!
Copyright 2017, Glover Gardens Cookbook
They look so yummy! The last photo made me feel like I want to take a bite even though we jut had dinner!! Thank you for the recipe and instruction!
Thank you so much! I would love to hear how they turn out for you if you try them, or what kind of variations you undertake.
I haven’t gone to the markets for a while. It has been raining. Good to see that you had a great time!
Delicious, thanks for sharing 😄
Let me know if you make them, and whether you made any cool adjustments or additions. I’d love to see a picture!