For the perfect panini, brush your Italian bread generously with Garlic Gold® Oil just before grilling. This adds amazing flavor to the whole sandwhich, which is filled with melty gruyere cheese and sliced ham (hello, Christmas dinner leftovers!). Plum jam and grainy mustard provide great sweet and sharp contrast to the rest of the ingredients, making for a sensational combination.
This recipe can be made in a stovetop or electric panini press, or even a regular grill pan or griddle — if you’re going this route, just use a smaller pan to weight the sandwich as it cooks. Any way you make it, you’ll have the best ham and cheese sandwich ever, perfect on its own or alongside a light salad, or even a bowl of soup for dunking!
-Coco Morante, Recipe Editor for Garlic Gold®
- 8 1/2-inch slices of rustic Italian bread
- 2 tablespoons plum jam
- 2 tablespoons grainy mustard
- 4 ounces sliced ham
- 4 ounces sliced gruyere cheese
- Garlic Gold® Oil
- Heat a panini press over medium heat for three minutes. If you are using a stove top press, be sure to heat both the pan and the pressing lid. If you are using an electric press, preheat according to manufacturer instructions.
- While the press is heating, spread four of the bread slices with the plum jam, and the remaining four slices with the grainy mustard. Layer ham and cheese onto the bread slices that’re spread with mustard, then top them with the jam-spread slices. Use a pastry brush to coat the outside of each sandwich lightly with Garlic Gold® Oil.
- When the press is heated, brush both sides with Garlic Gold® Oil, then place the sandwiches in the press. If using a stove-top press, turn the heat down to medium-low and let the sandwiches cook for about five minutes, until the cheese begins to melt and the bread is well-browned. If using an electric press, cook according to manufacturer’s instructions.
- Slice the panini in half and serve while hot and melty.
