How To Make A Pressed Sandwich: Without A Sandwich Press!

published Apr 13, 2010
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(Image credit: Apartment Therapy)

Have you ever wanted to make a panini or some other form of pressed sandwich, but you didn’t want to shell out the money for an unitasker like a sandwich press? Besides, sandwich presses take up space. In this post, we’ll show you how you can make panini-like sandwiches using kitchen equipment that you probably already have!

What You Need

• Two cast iron skillets. If either skillet has ridges on the inside of the pan or the bottom of the pan, you’ll be able to get authentic panini “lines” on your bread; if no ridges, don’t worry about it. One skillet should be smaller than the other and be able to fit inside the larger skillet as it will be placed on top of the sandwich. If you don’t have a small skillet to press the sandwich with, you can use a brick wrapped in aluminum foil.
• Canola oil spray
• Tea kettle or some other heavy weight that is heat-safe

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy)

Method

  1. Preheat both skillets.
  2. Spray the larger skillet with a thin layer of canola spray.
  3. Add your sandwich to the pan.
  4. Lightly spray the bottom of the smaller skillet with canola oil and then place it on top of the sandwich.
  5. Place a tea kettle full of water or some other heat-safe weight on top of the smaller skillet.
  6. Cook your sandwich for about 4 minutes or until golden brown.

Note: if using a foil-wrapped brick, don’t worry about preheating it or spraying it. Just place it evenly on top of the sandwich.

Related: A Roundup of Sandwiches

(Images: Kathryn Hill)