Sandwich fans are tuning in and turning on to the Panini – the grilled Italian sandwich that means “little bread”. Panini’s turn the traditional grilled cheese into a sophisticated something special. The popularity of these pressed sandwiches continues to rise – with special equipment available, from electric grills to cast-iron pans, as well as entire cookbooks created specifically for crafting the perfect Panini. Our secret? Real California Cheese, of course.

In honor of these grilled wonders, check out these Panini tips:

• Bread basics: It comes down to personal preference, so choose your favorite! From ciabatta to baguette, semolina to whole wheat – just about any variety will do. Just be sure to slice the bread thick enough to stand up to the amount of filling being used.
• Fill ‘er up: The filling is the fun part. Start with Real California Cheese, essential for any great Panini. Fresh and soft-ripened cheeses lend to creamy, gooey Panini, while semi-hard cheese will melt just enough to hold the sandwich together. From there, the possibilities for fillings are endless: grilled or fresh vegetables, sundried tomatoes, cured meats (such as prosciutto and salami), cold cuts, caramelized onions, spreads (tapenade or relish), even leftovers can make a delicious Panini.
• Equipment: Panini grills can be found in home and gourmet stores – but no need to splurge if you don’t want to! As our featured recipe shows, any pan or broiler will do the trick.
• What about dessert? Panini can be sweet too -Ricotta cheese paired with a chocolate/hazelnut spread on a baguette gives a creamy sweetness that is perfect for a Panini!

What is your favorite Panini recipe? Tweet us @RealCalifMilk to let us know!

To get Panini month started off right, we wanted to share our favorite Panini recipe:

Grilled Panini with Mozzarella and Dry Jack