The 5 Secrets to a Tasty, Inexpensive, Homemade Market Fresh Italian Stacked Sandwich

A couple of years ago, I had an Irish-Italian friend who was very health-conscious because of his spare-time cycling activities. His starch preference was pasta, which isn’t surprising, given his background, and given that pasta is known for providing quick energy. But he didn’t care much for sandwiches - not even Italian ones - considering them to be ho-hum. Until he tried one of my Italian sandwiches.

So what’s the secret of a great, market-fresh, Italian sandwich? Here are five:

1. Texture: Fresh bread has a ton of flavour. Italian buns, which come in all shapes and sizes, typically have a great chewy texture. And if the bread is fresh, the aroma proves it. Don’t use plain, enriched white bread slices. Ciabatta or foccaccia or regular Italian buns are perfect for tasty sandwiches. In a pinch, French baguettes work, too, if they aren’t too crusty.
2. Flavour: Pick a suitable spread or dressing. Mayo, basil pesto sauce, roasted red pepper mayo, garlic aioli - all work great. If the bread is really fresh, you don’t need a lot of spread. If you like a bit of heat with an Asian twist, use some curry mayo, or mix mayo with some sambal oelek (garlic chili paste, available at most Oriental markets).
3. Variety of vegetables and greens: Eating the same sandwich all the time is boring. Don’t always use the same greens and vegetables. Use different combinations for each sandwich. If you always use, say, iceberg lettuce, try Romaine or Boston. Even better, try spinach or arugula, or a “Mesclun mix”, which combines baby spinach, arugula, red and white frise, and other “greens”. For veggies, try combinations of sliced tomatoes, cucumber, red or white onions, and sauteed mushrooms. Add a dash of salt and fresh-ground black pepper to the tomato slices, and maybe even some crushed red chili flake.
4. Variety of meats and quantities. Try different cold cuts, or sliced meats, and different quantities. For example, instead of putting 9 slices of the same meat on the sandwich, try 4 slices of meat and 5 slices of another. I like to combine ham or turkey with hot or mild mortadella or capocolla (capocollo). These meats all have a different texture and flavour, and combining them is truly an important element in a tasty sandwich, Italian or otherwise.
5. Variety of condiments: Along with fresh, raw vegetables, also try sauteed, marinated, pureed or pickled vegetables. For example, occasionally try marinated artichokes, dill pickle slices, or marinated roasted red peppers. A roughly mashed avocado seasoned with a bit of salt and black pepper works well as a substitute - or supplement - to a dressing.

If you’re a vegetarian (or not), you can also add extras like cheese, avocado slices, or alfalfa sprouts. Lots of texture and flavour makes for a great sandwich.

Look around, and you can find deals on all the ingredients you need to make inexpensive sandwiches. I make myself great Italian sandwiches for a 1/4 the cost of buying them in a restaurant or fast food joint.

(c) Copyright 2005-present, Raj Kumar Dash, http://www.curryelvis.com

Technorati : budget food, budget recipes, cooking for one, cooking for two, italian food, italian recipes, sandwiches