Reheat Pizza In A Panini Press And Thank Us Later
Nearly everyone enjoys hot freshly-made pizza, but what about the leftovers? Extra food that's been refrigerated can be made great again or result in disaster depending on the reheating method of choice. Maybe you're tired of microwaving your tomato pie slices since the result resembles an overly soft melted mess of cheese and bread. Or perhaps you're annoyed your conventional oven dried out your last few slices of pepperoni, pepper, and provolone pizza. Luckily, if you're on the hunt for a new way to reheat this type of leftover, utilizing your handy panini press may be the perfect solution.
A panini press has two heated interior plates controlled by a manual lever that presses and cooks both sides of a sandwich or panini simultaneously. This device effectively heats the insides of loaded sandwiches while also giving them a toasted, crunchy exterior that makes for delicious results. Luckily, leftover pizza can mimic your favorite sandwich with a few simple adjustments.
To effectively reheat tomato pie with this appliance, place two slices together, with the topping sides touching. In just a handful of minutes, you'll have a perfectly warm and melty pizza-like sandwich with a perfectly crisp exterior. Yet as with any reheating method, mindful preparation is essential.
How to successfully reheat pizza with a panini press
A panini press transforms cold slices of pizza into crispy, melty, portable snacks in under five minutes. In many ways, your reheated tomato pie becomes pizza-grilled cheese without the added prep. Ideally, thin-crust versions without too much crust work best for this reheating method. Having flat layers of crust on both sides of your "sandwich" ensures even cooking and results in perfectly melted toppings.
So your pizza sandwich doesn't stick to the interior plates, brush the insides of your press with oil before cooking. Depending on the type of press you have, models with specific temperature controls are ideal for achieving a perfectly golden crust and melty insides. This becomes more crucial if you're dealing with varieties that have a thicker crust or extra toppings. In both instances, additional cooking time may be necessary.
Generally speaking, your makeshift pizza sandwich should be heated through in three to four minutes. Since temperatures range between specific appliance models, keep a close eye on it throughout the cooking process. Instead of pressing the topmost plate firmly on your tomato pie, maneuver the lever with ease so melted cheese doesn't seep from all sides. While you can certainly make delicious pizza sandwiches with your panini press, not every type works with this trusted appliance.
Factors to consider before reheating leftover pizza with a panini press
Depending on the type of tomato pie you have waiting in your refrigerator, using your panini press may not rank among the best ways to reheat leftover pizza. Sure enough, certain styles may prove too difficult to reheat with this appliance. For example, if you have a few leftover slices of deep-dish pizza, sandwiching these monstrous slices together is nonsensical. Since the sauce is placed on top of the pie and the thickness of the crust is considerable, the insides of this giant sandwich have little chance of reheating before the exterior burns.
Next to deep dish, Detroit-style pizza may also not be a good fit for your panini press. The extra thick, crispy-edged crust may prove too bulky to form a convenient sandwich. Pizza styles aside, most panini presses also come with signature grill marks which you may not want alongside the outer layers of your crust.
Before relying on your panini press, carefully consider whether or not your leftovers can be reheated successfully. However, as long as your crust isn't too thick and you have slices that line up perfectly, you can try this effective reheating method. With the right type, a panini press heats leftovers in no time and transforms slices into delicious pizza-inspired sandwiches.