Panino Molto Buon

While I was eating my lunch today, I was thinking this is so good, I really should blog about it, so here you go. The idea for this sandwich came from a Better Homes and Gardens Special Interests publication having to do with Italian food, which I checked out of the library several months ago. But of course I don't actually follow the recipe.

Let me also preface this with a little info: after church one Sunday a couple months ago, Handsome ran in to the grocery store for lunch fixins and came out with salami and a big loaf of French bread, in addition to the regular turkey and swiss cheese. Salami and white bread of any kind are not the norm in this household, so the kids felt like it was a treat, and being creatures of habit have asked for "special sandwiches" every Sunday since. Thus another tradition was born.

Now, often the French (or Italian) bread and salami are pretty much gone after the one lunch on Sunday, and if there's any left Firstborn snags it for his school lunch Monday. So my being able to make this sandwich is the outcome of a rare alignment of the stars which results in leftovers of both the bread and the salami.

First you need to make the onion relish: slice red onions, and cover with balsamic vinegar, olive oil (I'd say probably 1 T balsamic, 2 T oil, or similar ratio), salt, pepper and a dash of oregano. If you have black olives, add these too. You can use it immediately, but it improves with a little marinating time.

Next, take your bread and slice it in half. Brush both outsides with a little olive oil. Spread insides with pesto (I used a jar that I bought at an Italian market). Add turkey (or other deli meat, I suppose), and salami. Top with as much of the onion relish as you like, and either provolone or mozzarella cheese. Replace the top slice of bread and grill on the George Foreman, or a panini grill.

Mmmm. You would easily pay $7 for this sandwich at a restaurant. It was so good that I couldn't stop myself to take a picture until I was almost done. Try it, you'll like it!

I'm hooking up with Julia's Hooked On linky because I'm hooked on this sandwich!