|
|
Article: Panini perfect
- Article from:
- Tribune-Review/Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
- Article date:
- October 11, 2006
- Author:
CopyrightCopyright 2006 Tribune-Review/Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Provided by ProQuest LLC. (Hide copyright information)
|
It has the crunch of a potato chip, the crumb of artisan bread and
the texture of fine sponge cake. And it makes a mighty good sandwich.
Few breads beat focaccia, an Italian flatbread, when it comes to
enclosing everything from ham and Swiss to smoked salmon and radish
sprouts. Americans know these sandwiches best as "panini," although
other breads are sometimes used.
Joe Mico is sold on focaccia.
"Focaccia is just the opposite of pizza," says Mico, the chef-
owner of Pino's Mercato restaurant, in Point Breeze. "It has to go
through two proofings (risings), whereas the yeast activation in
pizza dough is minimized. Pizza dough needs elasticity to form a thin