Garlicky Kale Panini with Sweet Tomato Jam, Gruyere & Pancetta
These panini require assembling two components, the tomato jam and the sauteed kale. It’s easy enough to do on a weeknight, but you can also prep these elements ahead, and serve the sandwiches for a casual dinner get-together with friends. Serve them with a crisp fresh salad in the summertime, or a warm comforting soup in the winter.
Ingredients
For the tomato jam:
- 14 ounce can diced tomatoes
- ⅓ cup sugar
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¾ teaspoon freshly grated ginger
- a pinch of kosher salt
For the kale:
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 4 ounces pancetta, cubed
- 1 bunch of curly leaf kale, stems removed and roughly chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, grated on a rasp grater or chopped finely
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- freshly cracked black pepper
- To assemble the panini:
- 6 ounces gruyere cheese, shredded
- 4 small soft ciabatta style bread rolls
Instructions
- Make the tomato jam. Combine all of the ingredients for the jam in a medium saucepan. Bring it to a simmer, partially covering the pot to protect from splatters, and cook for 35-45 minutes stirring occasionally. It should be very thick when finished, like a chunky jam.
- For the kale, warm the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Fry the pancetta until crispy, keeping an eye on it so it doesn’t burn. Remove it to a paper towel lined plate using a slotted spoon, so that the fat is left in the pan. Reduce the heat and add the kale, garlic and the smoked paprika. Cook until the kale is soft, about 8 minutes. If it is dry, add a little water to the pan to help soften the kale.
- Split the panini breads and spread the tomato jam on the top halves. Sprinkle the bottom halves with half of the cheese, then top them with even amounts of the kale mixture. Divide the pancetta evenly between the sandwiches, then finally top with the remaining cheese. Place the top halves on the sandwiches.
- Heat a panini pan, skillet or grill to medium. Brush a little olive oil onto the pan (or brush the sandwiches on the top and bottom if using a grill), and cook the sandwiches, flipping once until heated through and the cheese has melted. To serve, cut them in half and serve hot.
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