Ingredients
Check off ingredients as you go
For 8 panini breads
- 500g (4 cups) sifted flour
- 20g (0.7 oz) fresh yeast (or 5g/1¾ tsp active dry yeast)
- 300ml (1¼ cups) lukewarm water (or half milk)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, dissolve the yeast in the lukewarm water, then add the flour, salt, and oil. Knead for 5-6 minutes (10 minutes if kneading by hand). The dough should be very soft and pull away from the sides of the bowl. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and place in the oven preheated to 38°C (100°F) then turned off. Let rise for 1 hour.
- Punch down the dough and shape into elongated, slightly flattened breads (100g/3.5 oz each). Arrange them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and let rise for another 30 minutes.
- Brush lightly with water and bake for 12 minutes in the middle of the oven preheated to 180°C (350°F). They should remain pale (they’ll finish toasting when you make the panini).
To fill your panini, slice the bread in half lengthwise, fill, then press in a panini press or grill until the bread becomes crispy.
Some filling ideas:
- mozzarella, pesto, grilled zucchini, tomatoes
- cheese, salmon, cream, chives
- cheese, tuna, tomatoes, olives
- smoked turkey, mayonnaise, pickles
Tips and Variations
- You can make this recipe by replacing half the water with milk.