Description
A sturdy, flavorful Italian sandwich designed to be made ahead of time, pressed, and transported easily for a perfect picnic lunch.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 loaf (about 10 inches) sturdy Italian or French bread
- 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 8 thin slices provolone cheese
- 6 thin slices Genoa salami
- 6 thin slices mortadella
- 6 thin slices capicola
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced roasted red peppers, drained well
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
- 1/2 cup shredded iceberg lettuce
Instructions
- Slice the loaf of bread horizontally, keeping the bottom and top halves intact like a hinge.
- In a small bowl, whisk together 3 tablespoons of olive oil, red wine vinegar, oregano, garlic powder, and pepper to make the dressing.
- Brush the cut sides of both the top and bottom bread halves evenly with the dressing mixture.
- Layer the ingredients onto the bottom half of the bread in this order: half of the provolone cheese, salami, mortadella, capicola, remaining provolone cheese, roasted red peppers, and red onion.
- Top the fillings with the shredded lettuce. Place the top half of the bread over the fillings.
- Wrap the entire sandwich tightly in plastic wrap. Place the wrapped sandwich on a flat surface and place a heavy object (like a cast iron pan or a few heavy cans) on top.
- Refrigerate and press the sandwich for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight.
- Before leaving for your picnic, slice the pressed sandwich into 2-inch thick portions. Wrap each portion individually in parchment paper or foil for easy serving.
Notes
- Use bread with a firm crust to prevent sogginess during pressing and transport.
- Drain roasted peppers and any other moist ingredients thoroughly before layering.
- If you prefer a vegetarian option, substitute the meats with thick slices of grilled eggplant and marinated artichoke hearts.
- Prep Time: 20 min
- Cook Time: 0 min
- Category: Lunch
- Method: Pressing/Chilling
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 portion
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 3
- Sodium: 1150
- Fat: 24
- Saturated Fat: 9
- Unsaturated Fat: 15
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 38
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 28
- Cholesterol: 65