Italian sub sandwich ✌ 

Sandwich with prosciutto, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, onion, mortadella and sausage. What's better than a stuffed sandwich for a tasty snack, a quick lunch at the office or a family picnic?

Preparing a sandwich is the simplest thing in the world and at the same time allows you to express your creativity and imagination to the fullest in the kitchen by always trying new combinations and different flavors. White or brown bread, slices of homemade or half baguette, sliced bread and even croissants with a neutral dough, pizzas or focaccias, lend themselves to being stuffed with a thousand delicious ingredients and a lot of imagination.

In Italy, just like in all Europe and North America, a ‘'panino’' (Italian for sandwich) is a popular lunch option, and in some cases also a quick dinner alternative. Italian bars often press-grill their sandwiches to enhance the flavors, turn the bread more fragrant and crunchy, and melt any cheese. However, at home, or when bakery-fresh bread is available, the Italians enjoy non-grilled sandwiches just the same.

When embarking on a journey it may be necessary to stop for a snack or a quick meal before resuming the journey, and sandwiches have always been a great hunger breaker on these occasions! Better to opt for simple combinations with a light taste, not too juicy, but apart from these basic indications you can indulge yourself as you want with the filling, trying never to miss a touch of vegetables!

If you love cold cuts, a soft homemade bread, white or brown, stuffed with a few slices of salami or raw ham, together with a cheese of your choice, for example mozzarella morsels or spicy pecorino cheese with a strong taste, and rocket can be fine. If you prefer a goodness made mostly with vegetables, you can try a tasty rustic sandwich made with zucchini and grilled eggplant, and parsley.

Going back to the word “panini”, in Italian it refers to all sandwiches – and it’s plural. «One sandwich» translates as ‘'un panino’' (from ‘'pane’', bread). «Two sandwiches» translates as ‘'due panini’' and shouldn’t be re-pluralized as Paninis – it causes native Italians to cringe!

For un-grilled Italian sandwiches, bread rolls that are light and crunchy are generally used (for instance the ''michetta'', known in some parts of Italy as ‘'rosetta’' or ‘'tartaruga’'). As far as fillings go, they generally include one feature ingredient, for instance:

prosciutto ‘crudo’ (raw, cured pork);

prosciutto ‘cotto’ (Italian ham);

coppa, also known as capicollo (also cured pork);

salame (cured sausage);

Italian bologna (not to be confused with Baloney!) and other kinds of mortadella;

pancetta (Italian bacon);

bresaola (cured beef);

and porchetta.