quinn222

Thought I'd share a recipe with you today. This is a favourite with my family and friends. I like to make it for football or any other casual kind of get together. It's a sandwich and it can be made a day ahead. If you want to you can even start it two days ahead.



We just call this The Sandwich in my house.

Indredients (for two sandwiches, to feed eight-twelve)-

2 loaves of Italian bread, round sourdough country type bread, or baguettes. Or three or four ficelles. You can use whatever you like. I choose the bread shape depending on the occasion. Since this is football and there are going to be kids, I chose some fat Italian loaves.

1/2lb each-(you can pick what you like. This is what I use.)

Salami
Pepperoni
Capicola
Mortadella
Virginia Ham
Provolone Cheese

2 small zuchinni - roasted
1 small eggplant -roasted

To roast- Slice the zuchinni and the eggplant lengthwise, drizzle with some oil and roast at 400 degrees or so until it's done the way you like it. Better yet, if the weather permits, grill the slices. You can do that the day before. Same with the peppers.

3 roasted peppers (three different colours or all one, whatever)

You can buy these in a jar but it's cheaper and they taste better if you make them yourself. Just cut them in half (top to bottom) and pull out the seeds. Rub with a little olive oil and put them shiny side up on a sheet pan. Pop them in a 350 oven for 20-30 minutes or so. They'll smell nice and have a well blistered skin. Take them out and out them in a bowl covered with plastic wrap or put them in a zipper bag. A hour or so later (or whenever you feel like it) take them out and peel off the skins. They'll come right off.

1/2 red onion, sliced thinly
5-6 plum tomatoes, sliced or if it's tomato season a couple of beefsteaks sliced


Olive Oil
Red Wine Vinegar (I use balsamic but you can use what you like)
Salt
Pepper
Fresh Basil leaves (if you don't like Basil you can use spinach or you can just leave it out.)
Optional - hot peppers

Okay, so here are your ingredients-


Now, cut the bread in half. Using your hands scoop out the extra bread. This sandwich is all about the filling, not the bread. Leave enough in there so the bread doesn't fall apart though. Set aside the stuff you take out to make bread crumbs with for something else.


Drizzle the bread with olive oil and set the tops aside.


Now layer in the cold cuts and cheese. One layer for each kind.


Now top with slices of zuchinni, some sliced tomato (not too many, they can make it soggy), some red onion, some roasted peppers and a few basil leaves (I don't use too many, they can be strong.) Drizzle with some olive oil, balsamic vinegar and salt and pepper. [now is where you would add your hot peppers if you are using them]


Now make another layer of cold cuts and cheese. Top this one the same way but use Eggplant instead of zuchinni. I don't put basil on this layer but you can.


Because I really like zuchinni I add a layer of that on top. Drizzle again with oil and vinegar, salt and pepper.


Now top with the remaining cold cuts and cheese. You'll begin running out of different kinds of cold cuts at different points. Don't worry about it. YOu don't have to have every single thing in every layer. Just use it all up and spread it our as best you can. Don't worry if this thing begins to look as though it's so fat no one could possibly eat it, we're going to take care of that. Drizzle some more olive oil onto the tops (what you did before soaked in by now, you want the tops to be nice and flavourful.


Put the tops on. Try and be sure to get the correct pairs together and facing the way they were before you cut them.


Now you need to wrap them in plastic wrap. You need to wrap them very very tightly. I usually do the best I can with the first layer of wrap and then wrap them again really tight. This is where the fact the plastic wrap sticks to itself becomes an advantage. Don't worry about mashing them with the wrap, that's the whole point.


Put them on a tray that will fit in your refridgerator (or two trays if you are using two shelves. You can stack the sandwicxhes on top of each other if you have to to get them into your fridge.)


Now put something heavy on top of them. Bricks are great for this. Next time you are in Lowes pick up a couple of bricks, wrap them in foil and keep them in your kitchen. They are perfect for doing pannini too. I use the half bricks. They are easier to handle. However, bottles of beer, cans of veggies, a heavy pan. Anything will work. Leave them in your refridgerator for a few hours or until the next day.


Take them out, slice (wedges if you use round loaves, 2-4 inch pieces if you use long ones) and serve.
I'll try and remember to take a picture of the finished product when I get them out of my fridge later on.

They look pretty, most people like them (even people who hate eggplant and zuchinni) and they can be done ahead of time. Excellent football food.

Here is the finished product-





If you can make it a day ahead it's a bit neater to eat, it stays together a bit more. I made this one and cut it just a few hours later though and it looks fine.


ETA Added pics of the finished product.