Test Kitchen tips: Makeshift panini press

This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.

Want to make a great panini, but can’t afford an expensive press? Use a brick and a grill pan.

Wrap a brick -- or some other heat-resistant heavy object -- with foil and use it to weigh down your sandwiches as the grill pan works its magic. (Yes, you can also use a waffle iron -- I used to use it in a pinch while I was in college for grilled cheese -- though the grill marks just aren’t the same).

A foil-wrapped brick is also the go-to gourmet tool when you’re looking to make brick chicken, and works pretty well whenever you’re looking to weigh down or press something in the kitchen.

If you have any kitchen tips or questions you’d like me to explore, leave a comment below or shoot me an email at [email protected].

ALSO:

Go behind the scenes at the Test Kitchen

134 recipes for your favorite restaurant dishes

Browse hundreds of recipes from the L.A. Times Test Kitchen

-- Noelle Carter
You can find me on Google+ and Twitter.