5 Ingredients or Fewer

Jamón Ibérico Panini

Name: Jamón Ibérico Panini
Yield: Serves 2 (or one, depending on your appetite)
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: One 8-inch piece of baguette; 2 or 3 slices of jamón ibérico or jamón serrano; 2 cloves of roasted garlic, mashed to a fine paste; 2 to 3 teaspoons sweet butter

by: AntoniaJames

May 31, 2010

2 Ratings

Serves 2 (or one, depending on your appetite)

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Author Notes

While studying in Italy, I became quite fond of the prosciutto-topped panini sold in some of the coffee bars. I make something similar for my sons who, after studying in Spain, introduced the family to jamón ibérico and jamón serrano. (We get it at The Spanish Table, a fun shopping venue for all of us.) I add just a touch of roasted garlic paste. When making these panini, do your jamón justice by using very fresh bread and the nicest sweet butter you can find. Prosciutto serves as a great stand in for the jamon, if that is easier for you. Enjoy!! ;o) —AntoniaJames

Test Kitchen-Approved

What You'll Need

Ingredients

one 8-inch piece of baguette
2 or 3 slices of jamón ibérico or jamón serrano
2 cloves of roasted garlic, mashed to a fine paste
2 to 3 teaspoons sweet butter

Directions

Make sure the butter is at room temperature, i.e., quite soft and spreadable.
Cut the bread lengthwise.
Spread the roasted garlic paste onto the bread as thinly and evenly as you can.
Spread a fine layer of butter to thoroughly cover each piece of bread..
Put enough jamón on each panino to cover.
Pour yourself a nice glass of Prosecco or Sauvignon Blanc, and enjoy!! ;o)

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Smaug
cheese1227
pierino
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20 Reviews

Smaug July 25, 2024

At about $4/ounce for the meat, it's a shame to ruin the sandwich with butter

AntoniaJames July 25, 2024

I'm not the only person who likes a slick of fine butter on a great baguette with a bit of first-rate ham. Ask the French. But of course, "À chacun son goût!" ;o)

Smaug July 25, 2024

No doubt- French cuisine seems to consist largely of ways to add more fat to your food, and then some more after that, and then top it with a butter based sauce.

AntoniaJames July 25, 2024

Followed by a call to one's cardiologist!! ;o)

Pasquale March 24, 2015

It looks so good I can eat it for breakfast.

AntoniaJames March 24, 2015

No kidding. I've been known to do that. I can more easily get prosciutto, which serves as a great substitute when necessary. Thanks so much for your comment! ;o)

Ann22 September 1, 2013

So beautiful in its simplicity! That's the best type of food,

cheese1227 June 2, 2010

I'll be trying this for a picnic planned on Saturday.

pierino June 2, 2010

I'll offer a mild dissent on the grill press, and that's simply because I believe a cured ham of this caliber (jamon iberico) should never be cooked. If you are using an inferior domestic prosciutto, well that's different. BTW my white truffle comment was tongue in cheek. Just remarking on the eye-popping price of the jamon. But on the other hand it might taste good.

AntoniaJames June 3, 2010

Okay, amigo, I stand corrected. No grilling the jamon sandwiches. ;o)

pierino June 2, 2010

As much as I love arugula (aka rocket), sometimes less is more.

SallyCan June 4, 2010

True, true. I suppose when you've got really good meat (as in sold by the gram) and really good bread (as in you made it yourself), then you don't need much else. So we'll leave the cheese in the ripening box and the arugula in the garden until the bresaola is ready to come up from the cellar...

RaquelG June 2, 2010

A bit of Manchego cheese and a panini press would make a sublime 'grilled' ham and cheese a la Española!

AntoniaJames June 2, 2010

We've been known to add a sliver of Manchego to these, but have never thought to use the panini press . . . what an excellent idea, especially when the bread on hand (as is usually the case) is a freshly baked sandwich loaf. Thanks! ;o)

SallyCan June 1, 2010

Perfect simplicity, though I think I'd be inclined to pile on the fresh arugula, and to repeat step 6 at least once!

AntoniaJames June 2, 2010

Yes, arugula would be tasty and I've thought, several times, about using some. But then I think about how utterly sublime that jamón is, unadorned, and make myself a little salad with arugula and a few slices of tomato, instead. There's something about the mouth feel of the jamón, with the butter and the cool, fresh bread, that seems utterly perfect to me. ;o)

monkeymom June 1, 2010

The roasted garlic paste is a wonderful addition. Looks delicious!

AntoniaJames June 1, 2010

Thanks! You can rub a bit of raw garlic on, if you like, but the roasted garlic paste is actually a bit sweet, so it goes particularly well with the salty jamon. If you don't want to refinance your house to make these, by the way, you can substitute jamon serrano. This is special occasion food for us, enjoyed to celebrate really important personal milestones (and milestones involving the mere passage of time don't qualify). ;o)

pierino June 1, 2010

Now, that's a splurge! But well worth it. Jamon Iberico is only recently available in the US. It's great stuff, made from black foot pigs raised on acorns. The rules that kept it out of the US were/are mostly protectionist. At least now there are small operations here raising "artisan" pig of certain breeds, using old methods. I believe Flying Pig Farms was briefly cited in "the Shop." They're from Shushan, NY.
Now just grate a little white truffle on this panino and you will have something close to perfection.