Goat Cheese & Kalamata Paninis
The term "panini" (pronounced pah-nee-nee) is Italian for roll or biscuit. Originally filled with layers of tomato, mozzarella and basil, the Mediterranean sandwich's popularity has transformed it into a meal of endless ingredient possibilities.
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Ingredients
- 14 pitted Kalamata olives, chopped
- 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tsp dried basil
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 12-oz whole-grain Italian loaf bread, halved lengthwise
- 2 cups baby spinach leaves
- 2 1/2 oz goat cheese, crumbled
- 1 large tomato (6 oz), sliced into 8 rounds
- Olive oil cooking spray
Preparation
- In a medium bowl, combine olives, onion, garlic, basil, pepper flakes and vinegar. Place bread halves on a cutting board, cut side up, and spoon olive mixture onto bottom half of bread. Top with spinach, cheese and tomato. Top with other half of bread and press down lightly to adhere. Using a serrated knife, cut bread into 4 equal pieces.
- Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Coat skillet with cooking spray, then add sandwiches. Add weight to sandwiches by covering them with a sheet of aluminum foil, then topping them with a dinner plate and a few bread plates. Cook for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes or until lightly golden on bottom. Remove plates and foil and flip sandwiches over. Again, place foil and plates on top of sandwiches and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook for 2 more minutes or until browned on bottom. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 2 minutes. (NOTE: This will allow sandwiches to continue heating throughout without drying out and over-browning.) Enjoy!
Nutrition Information
- Serving Size 1 sandwich
- Calories 301
- Carbohydrate Content 50 g
- Cholesterol Content 6.5 mg
- Fat Content 6 g
- Fiber Content 5 g
- Protein Content 9 g
- Saturated Fat Content 0.5 g
- Sodium Content 537 mg
- Sugar Content 13 g
- Monounsaturated Fat Content 0 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat Content 0 g