Italian Pressed Sandwich
Chef Jon Davis
La Brea Bakery
Los Angeles
This sandwich is filled with Italian-style deli meats and cheeses, including salami, capicola and provolone. The ingredients are arranged on a split round of crusty bread that’s been drizzled with house-made vinaigrette. Then the sandwich is wrapped and a heavy weight is placed on top to compress the sandwich and blend the flavors. Cut into wedges to serve.
Ingredients
Red wine vinaigrette
1 tbsp. red wine vinegar
1½ tsp. pepperoncini liquid from jar (see below)
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped
¼ tsp. kosher salt
Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Sandwich
1 large round crusty Italian bread
4 tbsp. red wine vinaigrette
3 oz. sliced turkey
3 oz. capicola (spiced Italian ham), sopressata or prosciutto
3 oz. salami
4 slices provolone cheese
1 cup shredded iceberg lettuce or romaine
2 pepperoncini, sliced (reserve 1½ teaspoons pepperoncini liquid from jar)
Steps
- For vinaigrette, in small bowl, whisk together vinegar, pepperoncini liquid, oregano, garlic, salt and pepper. Whisk in olive oil until blended; season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
- To assemble sandwich, slice Italian round in half horizontally, ending up with a top half and bottom half of the bread. Drizzle 2 tablespoons vinaigrette on interior of bottom half of bread; arrange slices of turkey, capicola, and salami on over vinaigrette. Place slices of provolone on top of meats.
- In large bowl, combine shredded lettuce and sliced pepperoncini; toss with remaining vinaigrette. Place lettuce mixture on top of cheese. Close sandwich with top piece of bread.
- Wrap the entire sandwich tightly in plastic wrap. Place a weighted object (such as heavy frying pan or Dutch oven) on top of sandwich to press it down. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or preferably overnight with the weighted object on top so the sandwich compresses.
- Remove sandwich from refrigerator. To serve, slice into 8 wedges.
Photo courtesy of La Brea Bakery