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Epicurious

Panini with Chocolate and Brie

I could eat this sandwich every day for the rest of my life and never get tired of it. The heat of the panini press melts the chocolate and Brie together, and the salty-sweet-gooey goodness that results is my idea of heaven. Sometimes I make these for a cocktail party, cutting each sandwich into four small squares, and it’s always a conversation starter.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    6 servings

Ingredients

12 slices sourdough bread
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
12 ounces Brie cheese, thinly sliced
1 (12-ounce) bag semisweet chocolate chips
1/3 cup thinly sliced fresh basil leaves

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Preheat the panini press.

    Step 2

    Brush both sides of the bread with olive oil. Place in the press, close, and grill the bread slices until they begin to turn golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the panini press and place 2 slices of cheese on one slice of bread, top with 1/3 cup chocolate chips, and sprinkle with basil. Top with another slice of bread. Continue with the remaining sandwiches. Return the sandwiches to the panini press until the chocolate begins to melt, about another 2 minutes.

    Step 3

    Cut the sandwiches into 2-inch-wide rectangles or small triangles and transfer to a serving platter.

Reprinted with permission from Giada's Kitchen: New Italian Favorites by Giada De Laurentiis. Copyright © 2008 by Giada De Laurentiis. Published by Crown Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved. Giada De Laurentiis is the star of Food Network's Everyday Italian and Behind the Bash. She attended the Cordon Bleu in Paris, and then worked in a variety of Los Angeles restaurants, including Wolfgang Puck's Spago, before starting her own catering and private-chef company, GDL Foods. The granddaughter of movie producer Dino De Laurentiis, Giada was born in Rome and grew up in Los Angeles, where she now lives.
TagsSandwichItalianEuropeanBrieCheeseDairyChocolateBasilHerbs & SpicesMainSnackDinnerLunchNut FreeVegetarianEasyFryCookbooks
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