Hey, that’s how we used to do them too. Still would be if we hadn’t inherited the press. And now we got to “pay forward” our Lodge grill pan to one of our buddiesThose look great. We don't have a panini press but we do have cast iron Le Creust griddle that works. We press with another cast iron pan and flip after one side is grilled.
I wouldn’t have put that much if the wife didn’t first soooo glad I did! Food coma followed shortly afterThat is exactly the amount of pesto I would want on mine (please send some!). Used to be a restaurant back here that did pesto paninis, but their idea of a pesto slather was evidently just passing the pesto over the bread. Yours is just a great looking product man.