Tomato Basil Panini with the film The Giant Mechanical Man

I've been making panini sandwiches for years now and they're by far one of my favorite things to make and eat. If you don't know, a panini is a sandwich that has been pressed and toasted. While there are many variations to a panini sandwich, my favorite remains the capresse style panini filled with fresh basil, fresh tomatoes, and fresh mozzarella. Now is the best time of year to take advantage of fresh garden tomatoes and the basil is aromatic and plentiful as well. It's the perfect combination of flavors for the end of summer and nothing beats the "crisp" of a perfectly grilled panini. Quick, easy, delicious, and the perfect snack for any movie night! A feel good food requires a feel good movie and I've got just the right flick to go with our sandwiches.

Yields 6-8 panini sandwiches 

16 ounces of Fresh Mozzarella
20 fresh basil leaves
2 fresh Roma tomatoes sliced thinly
1 loaf of crispy Italian bread cut into medium sized slices
salt and pepper
Olive oil

Using fresh ingredients here is the key to getting that perfect flavor we are going for. You'll want to spend the time to find a ball of fresh mozzarella, which you can find in just abut any grocery store these days. The flavor really doesn't compare to the low moisture mozzarella that I always thought sort of tasted like rubber. Fresh basil as well is so important, don't even think about just sprinkling some dried on your sandwich and expecting it to taste the same. First part in assembling the paninis is of course our mise en place. Wash and slice your tomatoes, get your basil leaves, slice the mozzarella (relatively thin so that it melts quickly), and slice your bread. Once you've sliced your tomatoes, I like to season them with a little salt and pepper to bring out their flavor.

Preheat your panini press to about medium to medium high heat. If you don't have a panini press, heat a non stick pan on your stove over the same heat. To press your panini down as it grills, just find a plate that will fit into the pan you're using. Once you place your paninis in the pan, place the plate on top of the sandwich with a can or something to add weight to help press the panini down. Essentially, all a panini press is is an electric grill pan with a top and a bottom element that allows your to grill the sandwiches on both sides at the same time while also applying the pressure to flatten the sandwich.

Next step is to build the sandwiches themselves. Drizzle some olive oil on one side of each slice of bread. On the side of the bread that doesn't have the oil, place two slices of mozzarella on the bread followed by 3 slices of tomato and 4 basil leaves. Add two more slices of mozzarella and place one more slice of bread on top, the side with the olive oil on top.

Grill the paninis for about 4 to 5 minutes on each side or until the bread has turned golden brown. If you're using a panini press there is no need to flip but still check to make sure you're also getting the golden brown color we're looking for. All in all the sandwiches will take about 8 to 10 minutes. Once the paninis are cooked, cut in half and serve hot.

Writer and directer Lee Kirk reminds us why independent and low budget films are so enjoyable. Jenna Fischer plays Janice, a young woman struggling to find consistent work and is having trouble making ends meet. When she's forced to move in with her sister and brother-in-law, Janice is subjected to their harsh criticism and their relentless efforts to set Janice up with their friend Doug, self-help book author. When Janice finds work at a zoo, she meets the handsome and charming Tim (Chris Messina) who finds himself in very similar circumstances as Janice. Tim however leads somewhat of a double as he's a street performer who takes on the persona of a silver painted robotic man.

Janice and Tim can't help but fall for each other but Janice's overbearing sister and her antics may keep the two apart. This offbeat romantic comedy is one of the hidden gems of 2012 and one I really think could have been a hit if more people knew about it.

Jenna Fischer and Tim Messina both give strong performances and they make their characters stand out on screen and you can't help but love both Tim and Janice. The Giant Mechanical Man isn't exactly a ground breaking film so to speak, but writer/director Lee Kirk has written a strong script that avoids many of the cliche romantic comedy elements. The cast of actors here is very well rounded and Topher Grace in particular does a great job playing the annoying self help guy who you just keep wishing would disappear and leave our Janice alone.  Fischer and Messina really deliver the goods in The Giant Mechanical Man and it's because they make their characters so likeable this really film stood out to me. This movie is on instant stream for Netflix subscribers so make your sandwiches and log on and watch this film tonight!! Here is the trailer for a sneak peak.