Naples Panini with Minestrone Soup
March 4, 2012 by: BrianIt’s been a dull winter. Not particularly hot, no earth blanketing snowfalls, and my creative juices all but stagnant. Wife has the Flu, kids are sick with fever, so what is a man to do… COOK! And so along with the winter time flavor, I decided on a nice hearty soup with a sammy. Born was our Naples Panini with Minestrone Soup!
The Soup:
Taken verbatim from this Internet find minus a few ingredients I didn’t have on hand, it works well and I might tweak on it sometime down the road. http://www.thecomfortofcooking.com/2011/01/minestrone.html
Ingredients
1 lb. kielbasa sausage, cut in half lengthwise and sliced
1 onion, diced
2 bell peppers, diced
3 carrots, peeled and diced – left out since the wife doesn’t like carrots
4 stalks celery, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 28 oz. can whole plum tomatoes (Italian-style or regular) and their juice
Used diced tomatoes here
1 quart chicken broth or stock
1 14.5 oz. can Great Northern or canellini beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 tsp. dried oregano
1-2 Tbsp. fresh basil (or 1 tsp. dry)
1 1/2 cups dry medium-sized pasta (orrechiette or shells)
olive oil, salt, and pepper
The Panini:
Made with an Autumn Wheat sliced bread with fresh mozzarella, Roma tomatoes, Arugula, basil pesto, and drizzled with balsamic vinegar.
Autumn Wheat Bread
2-3 Slices fresh Mozzarella
2 Roma Tomatoes
1 bunch Arugula leaves
Basil Pesto
Balsamic Vinegar
Olive Oil
One the insides of each slice of bread, spread a thin layer of pesto then top with slices of mozzarella, Roma tomatoes, and arugula. Drizzle a small amount of balsamic vinegar over the top and close the sandwich. Lightly brush the outsides of each side with olive oil and place in a panini press (or in my case, a George Foreman grill worked fine) until toasted.

