I made this panino a couple of days ago because I wanted to use up a can of tuna from my pantry. It was also yet another way to make use of my beloved peppadew peppers. (I wrote a bit about peppadew peppers here) Most of the other ingredients were readily available as well. The only ingredient I had to buy was a bunch of parsley, which was a welcome addition because it brought freshness and extra flavor to the panino. My husband came back home late from work and wanted a very light dinner, and this recipe was perfect for the occasion.
Ingredients
5oz solid white albacore tuna in water, drained
1/4 stick unsalted butter
2 slices red onion
2 slices bread
2 peppadew peppers or 2 slices of roasted pickled peppers
Handful of parsley
Salt and pepper (to taste)
Finely chop the parsley. Melt the butter in the microwave for about 30 seconds. Add the drained tuna, chopped parsley, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix until the ingredients are well combined.
Toast the bread in the panini press for a minute or so – you want the bread to have a nice, crispy texture.
Put a layer of tuna filling on one slice. Cut the peppadew peppers in half and place them on top of the tuna. Add the sliced onion, and finish off with another layer of tuna filling and with the remaining slice of bread. Put the panino in the panini press and grill for 1-2 minutes, until hot. Serve immediately with extra peppadew or roasted pickled peppers on the side.
I wish I had used a bread with a better texture and a crunchier crust, such as French bread. Overall however, I thought this panino was a success. The melted butter was necessary to bind the ingredients together and it added a robust and luscious flavor, while the peppers cut through the butter’s richness and made the panino remarkably light, complementing the freshness of the chopped parsley, sprinkled abundantly. Lastly, the red onion brought another dimension of flavor and provided a necessary textural element, which made the panino complete.ย
Bon appรฉtit!
sani panini
January 15, 2014Delicious!