The Pressed Italian Sandwich on Abigail's Oven Sourdough Country Loaf

To celebrate the beginning of this #NationalSandwichMonth I dropped by Jersey Mike’s to get fresh Italian cold cuts. They layered provolone cheese, ham, proscluttini, cappacuolo, salami, and pepperoni, topped with banana peppers and sliced onion, and drizzled with red wine vinegar and olive oil, all on a bed of shredded iceberg lettuce. I could not wait to get home to turn this into a pressed Italian sandwich, which is in the fridge curing for later today!

But of course, I had many other items to add. After all this sandwich is known for being packed with all kinds of meat and veggies. I sliced up tomatoes, summer squash, zucchini, and cucumber and layered these between slices of Abigail's Oven Country Loaf

Use 2 slices of Country Loaf	Add layers of Italian meats, cheeses and vegetables	Season with salt and pepper, oil and vinegar, and Italian seasoning
Pile on the layers until it is high	Tightly seal in cling wrap and chill, weighted down in a fridge (8–24 hrs)	Cut each sandwich into a thin slice (wrap in waxed paper for a picnic) otherwise enjoy.

Traditionally this sandwich is made a day ahead for picnics in Italy. Then it is pressed between two plates and weighted with a brick in the fridge overnight. Then it is sliced and wrapped in individual wax paper coverings and tied with string and a bow.

Also, this sandwich is made most often by slicing a whole boule of sourdough across the middle and hollowing out the center (pictured in this post's header), but I only had our sliced Country and Garlic Rosemary and could not get to the bakery today before our slicers cut the loaves. (BTW, you can get whole boules Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, if you get to The Store at the Bakery before our slicers arrive at 4pm.)

The Pressed Italian Sandwich Recipe

Since I only had sliced bread on hand, here is my adapted recipe for two slices of Abigail's Oven Sourdough Bread:

Possible Ingredients (the taller the pile of meats, cheeses, and veggies, the better):

• 1 Boule sliced horizontally and hollowed; or two slices of our Country or Garlic Rosemary
• Provolone cheese slices
• Mozzarella cheese slices
• Grated Parmesan cheese
• Ham slices
• Proscluttini slices
• Cappacuolo slices
• Salami slices
• Large Pepperoni slices
• Prosciutto slices
• Mortadella slices
• 1 Tbsp Mayonnaise
• 1 tsp Mustard
• Italian Seasoning to taste
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Banana peppers
• Sliced onion
• Sliced tomatoes
• Shredded lettuce or Romaine leaves
• Baby Spinach
• Sliced cucumber, zucchini, or summer squash
• Slice olives
• Red wine vinegar and olive oil

Instructions:

1. Spread the mayonnaise and mustard on the inside of the hollowed out boule; or one one slice of bread.
2. Layer on cheeses, meats, and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
3. Season with Italian seasoning, salt and pepper to taste, and drizzle with olive oil and vinegar.
4. Place the other top of the boule or slice bread on top, press tightly, and seal in cling wrap.
5. Weight the sandwich down in the fridge for several hours or overnight, (overnight my bottom slice of bread got soggy; happily I had more on the counter, so I replaced that slice)
6. Slice into 1 inch widths and serve cold, this by the way is the perfect picnic sandwich.
   OR
7. Omit lettuce and cucumber, then heat a panini press or grill pan over medium heat.
8. Spritz the grill with olive oil and place the sandwich in the panini press or grill pan and cook for 3-4 minutes per side, or until the bread is golden brown and the cheese is melted.
9. Serve hot.

Here are some tips for making an Italian pressed sandwich:

• Use good quality Italian bread like our Garlic Rosemary and Country Loaves are the perfect base for this sandwich.
• Use fresh mozzarella and provolone cheese. 
• Generously layer your favorite types of Italian meats (ie.prosciutto, mortadella, salami, etc.) with cheese and veggies in between each layer.
• Grate your own Parmesan cheese for the best flavor.
• Season with Italian seasoning, salt and pepper to taste. And don't forget the vinegar and oil, which makes this sandwich pop in your mouth
• This sandwich is an amazing cold sandwich with flavors infused throughout. Just cut it into smaller thumb width slices.
• If heating, grill the sandwich until the bread is golden brown and the cheese is melted. Serve hot and enjoy!

Here are some variations on the Italian pressed sandwich:

• You can add other ingredients to the sandwich, such as roasted red peppers, artichoke hearts, or sun-dried tomatoes.
• You can use different types of cheese, such as feta, fontina, or cheddar.
• You can use different types of bread, such as ciabatta or focaccia, but of course, we prefer sourdough.
• You can grill the sandwich instead of pressing it.

No matter how you make it, an Italian pressed sandwich is a delicious and satisfying meal.

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And remember, if you are looking for a place to get Abigail's Oven’s delicious sourdough bread, we are in more than 30 stores throughout Utah, at Farmers Markets in Ogden, SLC Downtown, Murray, So Jordan, Draper, Daybreak, Provo, Sandy, Spanish Fork, and Wheeler Farm. Of course, on weekdays you can always drop by The Store at the Bakery: Mon 12:00 PM-5:00 PM, Tue 9:00 AM-5:00 PM, and Wed-Fri 10:00 AM-5:00 PM, at 421 South 200 East in Spanish Fork, Utah.