Hot Italian Sandwiches

Loaded hot sandwiches might seem like something you’d only find at a great restaurant and deli, but they’re super doable at home and one of my family’s favorite dinners! This sandwich is made on a long, toasted ciabatta baguette, spread with pesto and garlic mayo, and loaded with roasted turkey, salami, and pepperoni.

Ingredient Notes

• Ciabatta Baguette – I always get baguettes for this sandwich at Trader Joe’s. They’re a good size and always soft. They also freeze well! Check your local grocery store bakery for something similar- you can obviously create a sandwich like this on any style of large/long loaf, or even make individual sandwiches from rolls.
  
• Pesto – Store bought or homemade pesto works great for this sandwich.
  
• Garlic Mayo – I stir in fresh pressed garlic into my mayo which adds a ton of flavor. If you don’t want to do this step, just use regular mayo!
  
• Fresh Mozzarella – I use fresh Mozzarella cheese, I buy the “log” style that is pre-sliced. Costco usually has a great deal, or find it in your grocery store usually near the deli section. I like to lay the slices on some layered paper towels while I’m working on the sandwich just to soak up some of the extra moisture and avoid it making your bread soggy.
  
• Roasted tomatoes – I love to use my Oven Roasted Tomatoes in this recipe. I keep them stocked in my freezer to use for things like this. If you aren’t up for making a batch of oven roasted tomatoes, you could sub sun-dried tomatoes or even use fresh. If using fresh, slice your tomatoes, gently press out the pulp, and then place your tomatoes on some folded paper towels to soak up some extra moisture so it doesn’t make your sandwich soggy.
  
• Deli Meats – this is flexible! I use smoked turkey, salami, and pepperoni. Smoked ham would also be really great.
  
• Balsamic Glaze – I keep a bottle of store-bought balsamic glaze in my fridge. It lasts a long time and is great drizzled on so many things. It’s not necessary for this sandwich, but a delicious addition.

Instructions

1. Cut your loaf in half length-wise and brush both sides with olive oil.
   
2. Place bread under a broiler and watch carefully until golden brown.
   
3. Remove from oven and spread one side with pesto and the other side with a garlic mayo..

4. Layer turkey over the mayo side and top with salami and pepperoni.
   
5. Place sliced Mozzarella cheese over the pesto side and top with tomatoes. I use my Oven Roasted Tomatoes here, but you could use fresh, or sun-dried if you want!

6. At this point, I like to turn the broiler off, and place the sandwich back in the oven, on a middle/low rack. The residual heat will warm everything up. Take it out when that cheese is just starting to get melty.

7. To assemble, just put those 2 halves together and press down. Slice into servings and enjoy! With the ciabatta loaf I use, I can get six 4-inch sandwiches.

Serving Suggestions

• We love this with pickle spears and some kettle chips!
• Fresh fruit or a Caesar salad is also a great addition.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Can I prep this ahead of time? This sandwich is best made fresh. However I do sometimes assemble up until the warm-in-the-oven step just a few minutes early and heat it up right before serving.
  
• Can I use any other meats? Of course! Feel free to use what you like. I think smoked ham is also really great here.
  
• What are my other bread options? This is super flexible! You can really make it on any bread of your choice, including individual rolls. Just choose something hearty to hold all of the toppings and sauces in, if you use a softer sandwich style bread, it will most likely fall apart.

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