Now that restaurants are opening back up, people are ready to head out to their favorite places as well as looking to try some new ones. If you’re working at a café, coffee shop or other sandwich place, then you will probably have a Panini press or two on the counter. They’re best known for delicious grilled sandwiches with visual appeal with those grilling stripes, but did you know you can cook much more than sandwiches on your Panini? Want to up your grilled menu to celebrate the big re-opening, then you don’t want to overlook this versatile countertop champ!
You can use your Panini for vegetables like eggplant or asparagus and fruit -- you can go exotic with grilled pineapple! The Panini grill is also good for thin cuts of boneless meat and marinated tofu slices. Another delicious option is grilled polenta slices. These are easy to prepare with your Panini, as well as Japanese mochi.
If you want to utilize your Panini for more than sandwiches, you’ll want to be sure to think through your menu before you buy so that you choose the most appropriate platen or heating surface. The options available in different models include flat, ribbed or possibly one of each – but you should be aware that with most commercial Panini press machines the platens are not interchangeable. That’s why it is important to know what you want to be cooking ahead of purchasing your Panini press. You’ll also want to check out the hinge of the machine you’re looking at because this can limit the thickness of the food you want to grill.
Panini grills come in single or double models as well. If you anticipate a heavy volume or if you have a lot of variety in the products you will be grilling, you may want to consider a double Panini grill. We carry several different brands including Globe Panini Grills, Equipex Panini Grills and Waring Panini Grills.
Adding a Panini press to your countertop equipment inventory is a great way to build up your menu above and beyond the sandwich! With a Panini press you can add variety to your menu at a reasonable price.
