Teaching Your Family to Cook

A loaf of Italian bread, a variety of spicy and savory ingredients that are stacked inside of the two bread halves, and your favorite condiments can be used to create a large party or picnic sandwich that can be shared with others. Create a couple of custom sandwiches that can be warmed up or enjoyed cold.

Your Inspiration

A flat oven-baked Italian bread variety will have a dense texture that is similar to the dough used in pizza. For an airier bread variety that will soak up the liquids that are applied to each half, choose something like a Tuscan loaf that possesses a deep golden crust.

If you want to assemble a couple of different sandwiches that are large and able to accommodate several dinner guests, choose a flat loaf style and one that is taller and slightly rounded. Designate one loaf for ingredients that you would find on your favorite pizza and another loaf for cold cuts, cheeses, and vegetables. 

The Pressed Pizza Sandwich

To create a pressed pizza sandwich, slice a flat oven-baked Italian loaf lengthwise and turn both halves upward. Use canola or olive oil to lightly grease a baking sheet. Place both halves of the bread directly on the sheet. Pour some tomato sauce on the bottom half of the bread and use a spatula to spread out the sauce. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese across the sauce. Add salami squares or circles, mushrooms, green peppers, pepperoni pieces, and black olives to the sauce and cheese-covered side of the sandwich.

Pour Italian dressing on the side of the bread that doesn't contain any ingredients. Place the top of the bread on the lower half of the sandwich. Use foil to wrap a brick. Set an empty baking sheet on top of the sandwich and lay the brick on top. Bake the sandwich for several minutes, until the cheese has melted.

The Italian Combo

Lay both sides of a loaf of Italian bread on top of a clean baking sheet that has been greased. Layer salami, provolone cheese, mozzarella cheese, prosciutto, and bacon across the bottom half of the loaf. Add a variety of fresh vegetables on top of the meat and cheese layers. Squirt Italian dressing or oil and vinegar across the top half of the loaf. Finish assembling the sandwich by placing the top half of the loaf onto the bottom half.

Place a clean baking sheet on top of the sandwich. Bake the sandwich, while a brick is resting on top of the baking sheet. All of the ingredients will be compressed together, preventing items from spilling out when you are serving the sandwich.