Irresistible And Easy Pressed Sandwich. Have you ever tried a pressed sandwich before? If not, you are missing out on an incredible sandwich. Add this to your meal plan ASAP. This sandwich is made with all the things a good sandwich has to offer.
What Exactly Is A Pressed Sandwich?
Heaven. That is what is it. Okay, aside from that. It is a hearty sandwich made with tons of deli meats and cheese. Then it is wrapped in saran wrap, topped with something heavy to press it, then left like this for about 12 hours.
The result? An awesome sandwich perfect for picnics and travel. Because it is made ahead of time and feeds a crowd, it is perfect for your next get-together.
Ingredients
- Bread- When choosing your bread, keep in mind that you want a solid loaf that will hold itself together through the press. I use a Ciabatta loaf
- Meats- Traditionally, there are a lot of Italian deli meats you can select for this sandwich, it all depends on your preference. If you are looking for more inexpensive options you can choose meats like Cracked Black Pepper Turkey, Pepperoni, and Black Forest Ham. Prices will vary depending on where you live. If you want a true Italian experience, try meats like Prosciutto, Salami, Copa, or Pancetta.
- Cheese- I went with provolone as I don’t personally love cheddar. Lots of people choose cheddar, or you could use Havarti, whatever will bring joy to your taste buds is perfect!
- Dressing/Condiments- I made a nontraditional Olive Tapenade using green olives, Moires Olive Oil, garlic, and balsamic. You can just blend all these ingredients together in a food processor. Then you will layer this over the cheese on the sandwich.
Making The Olive Tapenade
You can use any vinaigrette on the sandwich, but I wanted to make an olive tapenade variation instead. It came together really quickly in my Food Processor. If you have a blender you like, you could use that as well.
For this, I used green olives (I love the Lindsey brand, as they are so mild), Olive oil (Moire's life is my go-to), minced garlic, and good balsamic vinegar. Add them to the food processor and pulse until they are blended, but not mush (is that a word?).
Assembling The Irresistible and Easy Pressed Sandwich
Now that we have the basics down, let's start assembling! This is actually really simple to put together. Slice your loaf of bread in half and start layering in your meat.
I also added baby greens and red onions to mine. You can add whatever veggies you like!
Top the sandwich with plenty of tapenade. Then, press the sandwich closed.
Preparing The Irresistible And Easy Pressed Sandwiches For Overnight Press
Wrap your sandwich really tight in saran wrap. Set your sandwich on a baking sheet and then grab another baking sheet to set on top of your sandwich.
Put this in your fridge and place any type of weight atop of it to press it down, I just used canned tomatoes. It is best to press at least 12 hours. So, I make it the day before and it is ready to go the following day.
The Finished Irresistible And Easy Pressed Sandwiches
The convenience and versatility of the sandwich are perfect for any on-the-go adventure. Enjoy the flavors of Italy on the go, in the car, the next time you are at the lake, or even your next family get-together!
I promise you are going to love this sandwich. Really though, what isn't to love??
Other Sandwich Ideas:
- Banh Mi Pork Sandwiches are so good! You will love these!
- Green Goddess Sandwiches have always been a favorite of mine.
- BLAT Sandwich has been so popular on Pinterest and the blog. You will love this!
- If you are interested in a burger, what about a spicy salmon burger? It is so healthy and totally delicious!
- These Chicken Teriyaki Burgers are pretty epic too!!
*** This recipe featured on TWINKL- Picnic in the park****
Irresistible And Easy Pressed Sandwich
Equipment
- 2 baking sheets, cans for pressing
Ingredients
- 1 loaf ciabatta or other rustic bread of choice
- 2 pounds deli meats of choice I used cracked pepper turkey, pepperoni, and black forest ham.
- ½ pound provolone or cheese of choice
- red onions
- lettuce of choice I used mixed baby greens
- 1 can sliced green olives
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon oregano
Instructions
- Cut your ciabatta in half lengthwise. Fill with your meats, cheese, onions, lettuce, and olives.
- Make your dressing by mixing olive oil, balsamic, minced garlic, and oregano. Pour over the bread.
- Wrap the loaf tightly in saran wrap. Place on a baking sheet, then another on top and move into the fridge. Weight it down by placing cans on the top baking sheet. Leave this overnight at least.
- When it is pressed and ready, remove the saran wrap and slice for serving,
- Now, sit back and enjoy. You deserve it!