Mini gruyere and black olive panini with hot sauce recipe

Ingredients

• These panini can be served as finger food at a casual party or with tomato soup for a heart- and soul-warming lunch.
• 4 teaspoons red Tabasco sauce, plus more for serving
• ½ cup pitted brine-cured black olives, such as Kalamata
• 2 tablespoons capers, drained
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
• 1 small garlic clove, chopped
• 1 anchovy fillet, chopped
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 8 ½-inch-thick slices country bread from a long oval loaf
• ½ cup sliced roasted marinated red peppers, patted dry
• 6 ounces thinly sliced Gruyère cheese

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the melted butter and 2 teaspoons of the Tabasco.
2. In a mini food processor, combine the olives, capers, parsley, garlic, and anchovy and pulse to make a chunky paste. With the machine running, drizzle in the oil and remaining 2 teaspoons Tabasco to make an almost smooth paste. Scrape into a bowl.
3. Spread the paste on 4 slices of bread. Top with the peppers, then the cheese, and another slice of bread, pressing down to compress the sandwiches.
4. Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium heat. (Ideally, make all of the panini in 1 batch, but if your skillet isn’t large enough, make them in 2 batches, saving some of the butter for the second batch.) Pour in half the butter-Tabasco mixture and swirl in the skillet and then add the panini. Cover with another skillet and press down to flatten. Leave the skillet on, pressing occasionally, and cook until the panini are toasted on 1 side, about 3 minutes. Flip and add the remaining butter–Tabasco mixture, moving the panini around so the bottoms get coated in the butter. Repeat the pressing and toasting until golden on the second side and the cheese is melted, about 3 minutes. Remove to a cutting board and let sit 2 minutes. With a serrated knife, cut each sandwich crosswise into 4 sticks or in halves. Serve immediately with a bottle of hot sauce for garnish.