The humble panino, often considered a simple snack, holds a much deeper significance in Italian culture. It represents a fusion of flavors, a celebration of local ingredients, and a testament to the art of Italian gastronomy. The "Panino Italiano Day," celebrated every November 21st (#PaninoItalianoDay), acknowledges the cultural importance of this seemingly simple dish.
The Foundation of Italian Panini
The "Fondazione Accademia del Panino Italiano" was established to promote and preserve the traditions surrounding the Italian panino. This initiative emphasizes the importance of using high-quality, locally sourced ingredients and honoring the culinary heritage of Italy.
The Manifesto of the Italian Panino
The "Manifesto del Panino Italiano," available on www.accademiapaninoitaliano.it, outlines eight fundamental principles that define the essence of a true Italian panino. These principles emphasize the connection to Italian territory and customs, from home cooking to restaurant offerings. The manifesto states that the identity of the panino is rooted in the Italian territory and its customs, from home rituals to restaurants, from consumption habits to local offerings.
The name and definition of a panino are derived from the type of bread, its shape, ingredients, origin, or creator. The Italian panino is expressed in the Italian language.
The manifesto emphasizes the importance of the bread itself, stating that the food preparation consists of bread made with techniques and shapes inspired by Italian baking, with sizes, weights, and cuts defined in relation to individual consumption, and ingredients that express the Italian tradition, which can be fresh, processed, preserved, or cooked.
Leggi anche: Il significato del panino
A perfect panino is a harmonious marriage between the bread and the filling. According to the manifesto, the ingredients become recipes that express the typically Italian ability to enhance a wide variety of products, made available by the season or local contingency, combining them with art and mastery typical of the Italian gastronomic tradition, respecting the multiple regional, local, and family interpretations.
The way it is made and served expresses the Italian vocation to take care with food, making it an instrument of relationship. Therefore, the environment, people, fragrance and freshness of the ingredients, manual execution of the recipe, represent fundamental characteristics of the Italian panino which, in public places, must always be prepared and served at the moment.
The panino expresses the historical Italian vocation to be, through food, an interpreter and bridge between cultures. It becomes an ambassador of the extraordinary multiplicity and quality of Italian products, both fresh and processed, and at the same time belongs to the world and is a synthesis of passion, culture, artisan care, creativity, capacity for hospitality, and vision.
The Panino Caprese: A Tricolore Classic
One iconic example is the panino caprese, featuring mozzarella, tomato, and basil - the colors of the Italian flag. Its origins are debated, with some attributing it to a resourceful construction worker who combined these ingredients in a soft loaf of bread. Another account suggests it originated at a futurist dinner organized for Filippo Tommaso Marinetti at the Grand Hotel Quisisana, where a panino with these three ingredients was served.
The Panino del Muratore: A Laborer's Lunch
The panino del muratore, or "bricklayer's sandwich," is a hearty and substantial panino traditionally enjoyed by construction workers during their lunch break. Fulvio Marino, a renowned baker, shared his version of this classic on the television program "È sempre mezzogiorno." This panino is known for its filling nature, providing the energy needed for a physically demanding job.
Leggi anche: Ingredienti del Panino Mazzella
Fulvio Marino's Recipe for Panino del Muratore
Ingredients:
- For the biga:
- 1 kg type 0 flour
- 500 g water
- 10 g brewer's yeast
- For the dough:
- biga
- 20 g water
- 10 g malt
- 20 g salt
- oil for brushing
- For the filling:
- 3 eggs
- 1 white onion
- sliced salami
- 100 g boiled chicory
- 1 clove of garlic
- extra virgin olive oil
- mustard
Instructions:
- Prepare the biga: In a bowl, roughly mix the flour with the crumbled yeast and water. Let it rest for 18 hours at 20°C.
- Prepare the dough: Add the malt, salt, and water to the biga. Knead for a few minutes until smooth and even.
- Shape the dough: Roll out the dough to a thickness of about 2 cm. Fold it like a wallet, place it on a baking sheet, brush with oil, and cover with plastic wrap.
- Create the rosettes: Roll out the dough again to a thickness of about 2 cm. Cut out discs of about 10 cm in diameter. Place them on a baking sheet and imprint a design on the surface using an apple cutter.
- Prepare the filling: In a pan, sauté the sliced onion with a drizzle of oil.
- Cook the eggs: Boil the eggs for at least 10 minutes.
- Assemble the panino: Slice the prepared rosettes and fill with sautéed onion, salami, boiled chicory, and hard-boiled eggs. Season with garlic, olive oil, and mustard to taste.
The Cuzzetiello: A Neapolitan Cousin
The panino del muratore shares similarities with the Neapolitan cuzzetiello, also known as "a marenna di fravecatore" (the bricklayer's snack). This substantial panino is made with the end piece of Neapolitan bread, the "cafone", hollowed out and filled with ragù and meatballs.
The cuzzetiello originated from the tradition of dipping a piece of bread in the ragù while it simmers, a practice known as "pippiando". It embodies the concept of "zero waste," reducing environmental impact by using every part of the bread. The classic ragù and meatball filling has evolved over time to include various ingredients such as stew with potatoes, eggplant parmigiana, meat alla pizzaiola, and even seafood options like octopus alla Luciana, sausage and broccoli rabe, or Genovese meat.
Polpette: A Universal Comfort Food
Meatballs, or polpette, are a beloved dish with countless variations across Italy. The origin of the word "polpetta" is uncertain, but it may derive from "pulpa", meaning boneless meat. In Sicily, meatballs are made with ground meat, bread soaked in milk, and parsley, cooked in tomato sauce. In Milan, "mondeghili" are made with leftover boiled meat, fried in butter, and cooked in tomato sauce. In Emilia Romagna, mortadella and cheese are added to the meat.
Melanzane: A Versatile Vegetable
Eggplant, or melanzane, is another key ingredient. It pairs well with tomato and mozzarella, creating a deconstructed version of eggplant parmigiana. While today eggplant is a star ingredient in dishes like parmigiana, caponata, pasta alla Norma, and moussaka, it was once viewed with suspicion. Arabs called it al-badinjian, or "devil's egg," and in Spain, it was believed to cause diseases.
The Bread: The Foundation of a Great Panino
The bread is a crucial element. Whether white, whole wheat, rye, or multigrain, bread is considered a symbol of Italy. Examples include Pane di Altamura, Sardinian Carasau, Tuscan DOP bread without salt, Sicilian Mafalde, and Apulian Puccia. A good panino depends on the quality of the bread, and Panpiadina offers a variety of options made with genuine ingredients, without GMOs, preservatives, or additives, including Panpiadine al latte, ai cereali antichi, alle classiche all’olio d’oliva, fino alla PanDog e alla Burgherina.
Leggi anche: "Il Principe del Panino": un'analisi
A Modern Take on the Panino del Muratore
One can create a modern version of the panino del muratore using Burgherina al Latte, a traditional flatbread enriched with milk and natural sourdough. To prepare the filling, sauté finely chopped white onion in olive oil, then add peeled tomatoes, salt, and fresh basil leaves. Mix ground meat with egg, salt, grated Grana Padano cheese, and bread soaked in milk. Form small meatballs and brown them in a pan. Grill sliced eggplant. Cut the Burgherine al latte in half and spread the bottom half with meatball sauce.