Recipe: Pressed Picnic Sandwich with Olive Paste

recipelink.com Chat Room Recipe Swap - 2001-08-09
From: calliope,.NY

PRESSED PICNIC SANDWICH...original concept, Martha Stewart..
but with my variations...use your own choices too!

This sandwich can be made one day ahead of time;
and if prepared as follows, will hold up quite well without getting too soggy, or falling apart. It was a great success for me as I describe it below.

1 loaf rustic Italian bread, such as Ciabatta sliced lengthwise and the crumb torn out to be saved for another purpose. This bread is a crusty, rustic, chewy bread, usually shaped oblong or in a long rectangular shape, and rather flat.

1-large red pepper, roasted, cleaned, sliced and soaked overnight in
your own Italian dressing mixture made with mustard
1-1/4 cups black-olive paste (see recipe below)
thin slices of sharp provolone or cheese of choice
1-can, drained, quartered artichokes
1-pound turkey "ham", you may use less
you may also wish to layer some smoked turkey too.
thin slices of fennel (anise) bulb
1/2-a large red or Vidalia onion, sliced very thin

Assemble as follows...spread each half of the ciabatta with half the olive paste. Layer each with the cheese, next the ham. Then on one half layer the sliced fennel, next the roasted pepper strips with their dressing next the onion and then the artichokes, drizzle with more salad dressing and last top with the other half of the bread with its layers of paste, cheese and ham.

Wrap the sandwich tightly with plastic wrap. Set a weight such as a bread board with a couple glass baking dishes on top for at least 1 hour. When ready to serve, slice sandwich.

BLACK-OLIVE PASTE
Makes about 1 1/4 cups
1 can pitted black olives
1-large tsp. anchovy paste...optional
2 large garlic cloves
1 tablespoon mixture fresh rosemary, parsley
sage, thyme, basil and oregano
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup virgin olive oil, or more if you like

Make in a food processor, adding oil last

This sandwich goes nicely with my Chilled Pea, Zucchini, Potato and Buttermilk soup.