Italian Press Sandwiches

If you are looking for a meal on the go this Italian Press Sandwich travels well. These sandwiches are perfect for making ahead of time and only get better until you are ready to eat them. All you need to do is slice the bread, layer the ingredients, press the sandwich and store in the fridge until you are ready to take with you or eat. If you are looking for a great side check out my Pistachio Pesto Tortellini Salad.

Serves 6

Ingredients:
1 focaccia loaf, sliced in half
1/2 cup olive tapenade
16oz Italian deli meats* (salami, soppressata, prosciutto, pancetta)
12 oz roasted red peppers
6 oz artichoke hearts, quartered
8oz fresh mozzarella, sliced
salt and pepper
1/2 oz basil leaves, whole

Directions:

1.    Place the bottom slice of focaccia on a sheet pan with edges and cover with olive tapenade. (The sheet pan will help keep your counters clean when you press the sandwich.)

2.    Layer the meats followed by the roasted red peppers and artichoke hearts.

3.    Next add mozzarella, season with salt and pepper, and top with basil.

4.    Add the top slice of your loaf and grab a large cutting board or another sheet pan to place on top of the sandwich and press it. For me this involves standing on a chair to get the right leverage to evenly press the whole sandwich at once, so do what you need to do; there is no judgement here.

5.    Slice the focaccia sandwich evenly into pieces and place in the fridge until you are ready to eat or pack up and take on the go.

Pro Tip:

*Not all Italian deli meats are made the same and this a great article to give you a brief break down of how they are each different so you can select which ones will be best for your sandwich. I personally pick and choose a different combination each time.