A little while back, Hubby needed to undergo one of those medical tests that require a very long fast. The last time this happened, Kiddo and I took advantage of the fact that Hubby would not be joining us for dinner and we had a lovely evening tea.
This time around, we made grilled sandwiches stuffed with all sort of things Hubby would not enjoy such as Olive Loaf and Mortadella and stuffed olives. The way I see it, making something Hubby wouldn’t be interested in eating is actually showing support. Think about it – if we had slices of pizza or a big hamburger, he would suffer even more because fasting isn’t fun. No, we did him a favor by eating lots of green olives.
Years ago, Hubby and I had the opportunity to spend a week in Napa wine country. It was an amazing, educational experience of wines and foods and all sorts of delights. At the Beringer Vineyards in Saint Helena we were part of a private seminar on wines and foods. The instructor wanted us to experience how foods impact the flavors of wines, so we were given different types of food to taste while drinking the same bottle of wine. When it came time to eat a green olive, Hubby was adamant that he was not about to put that “green, nasty thing” in his mouth. The instructor was just adamant that doing so was not an option but a necessity to the entire wine experience. Hubby finally gave in, and it was the only time in our married life (maybe even in his entire life) that a green olive crossed his lips. Kiddo and I are huge fans of the briny green olive. You can bet, when Hubby saw what we had for dinner he wasn’t even in the least bit tempted. And that was the whole point. Kiddo and I enjoyed our sandwiches very much. I hope you will, too.
Italian Panini Sandwich
2 slices Prosciutto
4 slices Rosemary Sourdough Bread
Butter, soft as needed
Sub Sandwich Oil as needed
Monterey Jack, shredded as needed
4 oz Olive Loaf Lunch Meat, sliced
4 oz Genoa Salami
4 oz Mortadella, sliced
Green Olives with Pimento, chopped as needed
Parmesan Cheese, shaved as needed
In a small skillet over medium-low heat, fry slices of Prosciutto just until beginning to crisp. Remove from heat, set aside until ready to use.
Heat Panini Grill. While the grill is warming, lightly butter bread slices. Place on a flat work surface, butter side down and begin building the sandwich.
Sprinkle bread with sub sandwich oil. Spread oil with a knife. Sprinkle a handful of Jack Cheese over bottom slice of each sandwich.
Lay Prosciutto over the shredded cheese. Lay Olive Loaf Lunch Meat over the Prosciutto.
Lay Salami over the Olive Loaf. Lay slices of Mortadella over the salami layer. Scatter a layer of chopped green olives with pimento over the Mortadella layer.
Scatter shaved Parmesan Cheese over the green olives. Top with remaining slices of Rosemary Bread.
Place sandwiches on the heated grill. Close the lid, pressing down slightly to help press down on the fillings. Grill for about 3 minutes, until golden and warmed through.
These grilled Italian sandwiches go well with a Tuscan Style Pasta Salad. As long as you are at the deli getting all the other ingredients, why not pick up some premade salad to serve up a delicious meal in no time?
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