Ingredients
Sandwiches
- 4 plain 6-inch hoagie rolls about 94 g each for the calorie estimate
- 8 oz fully cooked smoked deli ham 227 g, thinly sliced
- 4 oz Genoa salami 113 g, thinly sliced
- 4 oz provolone cheese 113 g, sliced
- 2 medium tomatoes about 250 g total, thinly sliced
Crunchy salad
- 4 loosely packed cups very finely shredded iceberg lettuce 200 g; use the gram weight for consistency
- 0.25 red onion 40 g, very thinly sliced
- 0.25 cup sliced pepperoncini 40 g drained; reserve 2 teaspoons brine for the dressing
Dressing
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise about 70 g
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar 15 ml
- 2 tsp pepperoncini brine 10 ml from the jar
- 1 tsp dried oregano about 1 g
- 0.5 tsp garlic powder about 1.5 g
- 0.25 tsp black pepper about 0.6 g
Equipment
- Oven 375°F / 190°C
- Rimmed baking sheet and parchment paper
- Oven mitts
- Large mixing bowl
- Whisk and tongs
- Chef’s knife, serrated bread knife and cutting board
- Salad spinner or clean kitchen towel for drying the washed lettuce
- Measuring cup and spoons
- kitchen scale for the gram measurements
Instructions
Prepare, warm and assemble
- Rinse the iceberg lettuce and tomatoes under running water. Dry the lettuce thoroughly in a salad spinner or with a clean towel, then finely shred and measure 200 g (about 4 loosely packed cups). Keep it chilled until needed.
- Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment. Split the rolls lengthwise and place them cut-side up on the sheet. Thinly slice the tomatoes and pat away excess surface moisture. Thinly slice the red onion and drain the pepperoncini, reserving 2 teaspoons brine.
- In the large bowl, whisk the mayonnaise, red wine vinegar, measured pepperoncini brine, oregano, garlic powder and black pepper until combined. Keep the lettuce, onion and peppers out of the dressing until the bread is ready.
- Divide the ham and salami between the 4 roll bottoms, then cover the meat with the provolone. Leave the roll tops open alongside them. Bake for 8–10 minutes, until the cheese melts and the bread is lightly crisp. Remove the bare roll tops earlier if they brown before the cheese melts.
- Just before assembly, add the shredded lettuce, red onion and drained pepperoncini to the dressing. Toss gently with tongs until evenly coated.
- Add tomato slices to the warm roll bottoms, then divide the dressed salad evenly over them. Close the rolls, press gently and cut each sandwich across the middle with a serrated knife. Serve immediately.
Nutrition
Calories: 660kcal
Video
Notes
Use plain rolls with a soft center and enough structure to hold the filling. If your lettuce is labeled prewashed or ready-to-eat, follow its package directions. Keep the tomatoes out of the salad bowl, dry the lettuce well, and dress the salad only when you are ready to assemble.
Best served immediately. For advance preparation, refrigerate the dressing, undressed vegetables and deli fillings separately. Follow opened deli-meat package storage directions. Refrigerate perishables within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F (32°C). Standard ingredients contain wheat, milk and egg; check packaged ingredients for additional allergens, including sesame.
Video credit: Laura Vitale of Laura in the Kitchen demonstrates warm grinder sandwiches topped with dressed iceberg lettuce. Her version also includes garlic oil, grated Parmesan or Pecorino, prosciutto, artichokes and olives; this version uses the measured ham, salami, provolone and simpler dressing listed above.
Calories are an ingredient-based estimate per one whole sandwich, using a 94 g roll, the measured filling and dressing, product labels and standard vegetable values. The estimate assumes all measured filling and dressing are eaten and excludes side dishes. Brands, roll sizes and portion weights will change the result.