How would I make this???

[b&c'smama]

I would love to make homemade "hot pockets" (those things sold in the freezer section - it's bread stuffed with meats, cheeses, etc.)

If I make them myself, I could use whole grains, organic cheese, fresh veggies, etc. I think at one time my MIL had some sort of sandwich cooker that made them: she put in bread and whatever she wanted to fill it with and closed the lid and it cooked and sealed them. (She also used it to make turnovers with cherry pie filling and cream cheese YUM!)

I have looked at panini makers, but I don't think that will actually seal the sandwich.

Has anyone made anything like this? If so, how did you do it?

I also have a related question... pocket sandwiches aside, is a panini press/grill worth it? They look cool, but do you really get better results than just using a good pan? I really try to avoid getting too many gadgets that just end up taking up space, on the other hand if it really would cook better sandwiches it might be worth it, KWIM?

[ladylove]

The sandwich makers are great (small and inexpensive), but it is one more appliance to add to the kitchen. I think the advantage is that you can use sliced bread to make your "hot pocket", although it would be more like a really well grilled sandwich.

OR, you can make the dough using a good pizza recipe or even a biscuit recipe, roll it out, fill 'em up, and then bake.

It just depends how much time you want to spend. With the latter method, you could easily bake a bunch and then freeze them. I made something like this for when DS was born so that all I had to do was grab a frozen sandwich, stick it in the oven for a bit, and then have something filling and nutritious to eat with one hand.

Edit: A panini grill is a different kind of appliance than the sandwich maker I'm thinking of.

[jimblejamble]

You could make these and just change the ingredients.

http://chelseab.typepad.com/lady_i_s...-the-oven.html

[cristeen]

Google recipes for empanada, samosa, piroshki, calzone, even chinese dumplings (steamed pork buns anyone?). They're all variations on that theme. The Hot Pocket is not an original idea - it's been around in various cultures for hundreds of years.

I usually make piroshki just because culturally that's where I'm coming from. These can be baked or fried, and you'd use a different dough for each. Generally I use a short dough (like a pie crust) for baked piroshki - it just gives the result I prefer. I tend to make them 2-bite size, because they hold together better with that dough. The fried ones I make more meal-sized.

The advice I will give you though is to have everything ready and assembled when you start. Have somewhere to stick them for freezing and make an assembly line of it. Do LOTS at once - they take some time to do, but are not difficult. Pop in a movie or invite a friend over to help and make dozens or hundreds at once.

ETA - forgot to say... if you want them to be "fresh baked" when you eat them, freeze them raw - this is what we do to prep for parties. If you want to be able to microwave them, then bake them, chill them and then freeze them.

[katiesk]

i would make a pizza dough (like for calzones) and make small little portions to fill with delicious things and then bake and freeze. or freeze then bake maybe...

anyway that would seal them.

i think a panini press is a waste of money. likewise with a sandwich maker. but i hate unnecessary appliances.

[EnviroBecca]

I have made them with whole-wheat pizza dough, sealed by hand, baked on a greased cookie sheet. They were great!! We need to do that again someday....