Name: Portobello, Mozzarella, and Fresh Basil Panini
Total time: 1 h
Cuisine: ItalianEurope
Ingredients: 1/2 cup mayonnaise; 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh basil; 1 tablespoon lemon juice; 4 large portobello mushroom caps , gills removed, halved lengthwise; 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil; Salt and pepper; 1 large red onion , halved and sliced 1/2 inch thick; 2 red bell peppers , seeded, halved, and sliced 1/2 inch thick; 8 slices thick-cut crusty bread; 3/4 pound thinly sliced deli mozzarella

Why This Recipe Works

Italians have it right when it comes to sandwiches: They load meat, cheese, and flavorful condiments between slices of crusty bread and then compact the sandwich in a heated, ridged press. But we wanted a panini recipe we could make without using either a panini press or an indoor grill. To achieve the signature ridged grill marks, we used a nonstick grill pan as the base and the weight of a Dutch oven on top. A rustic 8-inch loaf (often called a boule) with a crusty exterior and substantial, slightly chewy crumb worked best in this panini recipe—softer sandwich breads tended to flatten into an undesirable thinness. The correct ratio of meat to cheese is key to this panini recipe. These amounts make for a panini with cheese that melts around the filling without becoming messy. Brushing the outside of the bread with butter or oil didn’t work well here; it just made the bread greasy. We pressed these sandwiches without any fat for the proper crispy, toasted texture.

Before You Begin

Feel free to substitute yellow or green bell peppers for the red peppers.

Instructions

Whisk mayonnaise, basil, and lemon juice in small bowl. Toss mushrooms with 1/4 cup oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in large bowl. In separate bowl, toss onions, peppers, remaining oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.

Heat large nonstick grill pan over medium heat for 1 minute. Arrange mushrooms, gill-side up, in pan and weight with Dutch oven. Cook until mushrooms are well browned, 10 to 12 minutes, turning halfway through cooking. Transfer to paper towel-lined plate. Arrange onions and peppers in single layer on pan and weight with Dutch oven. Cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to paper towel-lined plate and wipe out pan.

Spread mayonnaise mixture evenly on one side of each slice of bread. Layer half of cheese on 4 slices bread then top with mushrooms, peppers, onions, and remaining cheese. Arrange remaining bread, mustard-side down, over cheese.

Heat grill pan over medium heat for 1 minute. Place 2 sandwiches in pan and weight with Dutch oven. Cook sandwiches until golden brown and cheese is melted, 4 to 6 minutes per side. Transfer to wire rack and repeat with remaining sandwiches. Serve.