Get a grip

By JANET K. KEELER

© St. Petersburg Times, published August 30, 2000

Herbs and soft cheeses encased in fresh bread from a bakery can make sandwiches favorites at any gathering.

Legend has it that the sandwich was invented in 18th century England for John Montagu, a royal who needed a nibble while playing cards.

The Earl of Sandwich demanded a snack sans knife and fork, one that could be neatly eaten so as not to distract from the game. A servant smacked meat between bread and the concoction made history, even though the big guy got the credit.

Since then, the concept of the sandwich has traveled the world, changing shapes as it conforms to different cuisines. Mexico serves up tacos and burritos, the Middle East brags on its pitas, and in Italy, where the sandwich is an art, panini and crostini are to die for.

In America, the sandwich is top dog. We raise our children on peanut butter and jelly and grilled cheese. We are in awe of a deli corned beef, piled high on rye. We diet with turkey on wheat, hold the mayo. When we are not dieting, we eat leftover turkey sandwiches just hours after Thanksgiving dinner. As our palates become more international, we want fresh mozzarella, tomatoes and basil drizzled with olive oil tucked into baguettes, or goat cheese and roasted red peppers layered on crusty rolls. From hoagies to patty melts, tuna fish to bologna, sandwiches are an integral part of the way we eat.

As you prepare to celebrate Labor Day, consider dressing up the sandwich to make it the star of the gathering. Whether you are hosting a bash or are contributing to another's party table, a sandwich loaf fit for a crowd will win hearts and stomachs. If you will be lounging on a boat deck or kicking back at the beach with buddies, consider a menu planned around homemade sandwiches on small rolls.

For inspiration, think Italian. Go for sturdy, crusty bread, rolls or loaves in any shape. Snub temperature-skittish mayonnaise for earthy olive oil. Toss out the iceberg lettuce and throw on the fresh basil, watercress or arugula. Do the tomatoes at your grocery store look weak? Don't force the issue; substitute roasted red peppers or artichoke hearts. If you buy good quality meat you won't need a lot. A couple of slices of paper-thin prosciutto is enough to take the edge off tangy capers and goat cheese. Vegetarian? The flavorful combinations are many, including goat cheese, artichoke hearts and roasted red peppers or cream cheese, black olive paste and fresh basil.

Here are some tips to turning out great party sandwiches:

Think of the bread as the foundation. You will want to build your sandwich on the best bread you can. Mazzaro Italian Market in St. Petersburg, Casa Del Pane in St. Pete Beach, Breadsmith and Pane Rustica in Tampa are among the bakeries in the Tampa Bay area that sell a variety of good-quality breads. More and more, grocery stores are getting into the bakery business, and it is not uncommon to find baguettes and challahs or loaves of herb-laced whole-wheat bread there.

If you are making sandwiches for a crowd, consider a Pressed Italian Picnic Sandwich or a Pan Bagna, which calls for a loaf of bread sliced once horizontally, stuffed and then sliced as desired for individual servings. This sandwich loaf can be made ahead, wrapped whole in plastic, and then flattened with a phone book or a large cast-iron skillet. Compacting the sandwich makes it easier to eat.

If you are using a thick loaf of bread, make sure to scoop out some of the "crumb," the pillowy insides, to make a hollow cavity. Too much bread will overpower the sandwich filling.

For Floridians, Labor Day hardly signals the end of summer the way it does in cooler climates. At best, it means the middle of the heat and humidity season. Unless you can keep your sandwiches on ice, forget the mayonnaise. That eliminates tuna, egg and chicken salad and puts a damper on some cheeses. Olive oil sprinkled on at the last minute or pickled vegetables such as artichokes add moisture and flavor. Spread black olive tapenade, homemade or bought from specialty food stores, in place of mayonnaise for more punch and portability.

Goat cheese, cream cheese or fresh mozzarella combined with fresh or dried herbs makes a tasty spread on top of which you can pile roasted vegetables and fresh herbs. Sliced cheese tends to get hard and unappetizing when left unrefrigerated for long. Soft cheese weathers the heat better; even so, don't leave it in the back seat of the car for too long and expect to get rave reviews. Soft cheese fillings are especially suited for Italian panini, sandwiches made on small rolls that are easy to carry, easier still to eat with one hand while the other holds a drink.

Think dry, rather than wet. A sandwich of roast beef, Thousand Island dressing and cole slaw on rye bread might be good eats at a New Jersey deli, but at a picnic it is just a mess. Do you have to eat it over the sink to catch the falling bits? Save that goopy sandwich for table fare. To keep the bread from getting soggy, layer the drier ingredients such as lettuce or herbs closest to the bread. Also, drizzle olive oil at the last minute.

Panini Caprese

• 1 large ball fresh mozzarella, about 1/2 pound
• 2 large rolls, round or baguette-shaped
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 medium tomatoes, ripe but firm, cored and sliced
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• Dried Mediterranean oregano, such as Greek oregano
• 8 basil leaves

Cut the mozzarella in slices and place on folded clean tea towels. Meanwhile, slice the rolls in half horizontally. Place bread cut-side down on a grill or cut-side up under a hot broiler until lightly toasted. Drizzle both sides of the bread with olive oil.

Arrange tomatoes on bottom halves of rolls. Season with salt and pepper, a sprinkling of oregano and a drizzle of olive oil. Arrange the mozzarella on top of the tomatoes. Season again with salt, pepper, oregano and olive oil. Top with the whole basil leaves. Cover with the top halves of the rolls. Makes 2 panini.

Source: "Panini, Bruschetta, Crostini" by Viana La Place (Hearst Books, 1994).

Pan Bagna

• 4 crusty sandwich rolls with a sturdy, coarse crumb
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and cut in half
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• Coarsely chopped basil and mint leaves
• 2 ripe but firm medium tomatoes, sliced
• 8 oil-cured black olives, pitted
• 2 teaspoons capers
• 1 sweet yellow pepper, cored, seeded, membranes removed and sliced into thin rounds
• Handful peeled, tender fava beans or canned, drained cannellini beans
• Imported red wine vinegar
• Salt and freshly ground pepper

Cut the rolls in half lengthwise. Rub with the cut sides of the garlic cloves and drizzle with olive oil. Layer the remaining ingredients on the bottom half of the rolls in the order listed. Drizzle with olive oil and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover with the top half of the rolls. Place a weight on top of the panini and remove after about 30 minutes. Makes 4 panini.

Source: "Panini, Bruschetta, Crostini" by Viana La Place (Hearst Books, 1994).

Goat Cheese and Roasted Pepper Panini

• 51/2 ounces goat cheese, softened at room temperature
• 3 green onions, trimmed of half of the green tops, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon chopped Italian parsley
• 1 tablespoon chopped basil
• 1 small garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 red bell peppers
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons capers
• Small pinch hot red pepper flakes
• 4 round rolls, about 5 inches in diameter

Place the goat cheese in a bowl and combine with the green onions, herbs and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside. You can prepare cheese mixture several hours in advance. Refrigerate, then bring to room temperature before using.

Roast the peppers. Remove the blackened skin, core, seeds and membranes. Cut into thick strips. Place on a plate and toss in olive oil, lemon juice, capers and hot red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper.

Split the rolls in half. Spread the goat cheese on the bottom half of the rolls. Top with strips of roasted peppers and capers. Drizzle the remaining juices over the inside of the top half of the rolls. Cover panini with the top halves. Makes 4 panini.

Source: "Panini, Bruschetta, Crostini" by Viana La Place (Hearst Books, 1994).

Pressed Italian Picnic Sandwich

• 1 loaf rustic Italian bread, such as ciabatta
• 11/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Freshly ground pepper
• 1/4 cup black-olive tapenade, store-bought or homemade (see recipe)
• 7-ounce jar roasted red peppers, drained and blotted dry
• 6 ounces goat cheese
• 8 ounces jarred marinated artichokes, drained well
• 4 ounces prosciutto, thinly sliced
• 4 ounces hard salami, thinly sliced
• 21/4 cups loosely packed mixed fresh herbs, such as basil, cilantro or parsley

In a medium bowl, combine the mustard and vinegar. Gradually whisk in the olive oil. Whisk in 2 tablespoons warm water. Whisk in pepper to taste and set the vinaigrette aside.

Slice the loaf of bread lengthwise and make a hollow by removing some of the inside bread; reserve for another use or discard. Spread the olive paste on the bottom crust and add the red pepper strips. Crumble the goat cheese on top of peppers. Arrange artichokes over goat cheese. Drizzle half of the vinaigrette on top. Arrange prosciutto and salami over artichokes. Drizzle with the remaining vinaigrette. Scatter herbs over meats. Place the top crust on sandwich.

Wrap the sandwich tightly with plastic wrap. Set a weight such as a phone book or large cast-iron skillet on top for at least 1 hour. When ready to serve, slice sandwich into 10 pieces.

Note: This sandwich can be made a day ahead of time if you add the vinaigrette no more than 1 hour before you pack the sandwich.

Source: Janet K. Keeler, Times food editor.

Black Olive Tapenade

• 3/4 cup cured black olives, pitted
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon capers, drained
• 1 anchovy fillet
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Blend olives, garlic, capers and anchovy in a food processor. Add the lemon juice and the 2 tablespoons olive oil and blend to a smooth paste.

Source: "Caprial's Cafe Favorites" by Caprial Pence (Ten Speed Press, 1994).

Vegetable-Stuffed Sandwich

• 1 large loaf French bread
• 1 small red (Spanish) onion
• 3 roasted red bell peppers, julienned (see note)
• 1/2 cup water-packed artichoke hearts
• 2 tomatoes, seeded and diced
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 3/4 cup softened cream cheese
• 1/4 cup mild soft goat cheese
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basilor 1/2 teaspoon dried
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Cut the loaf in half horizontally. Remove some of the bread from the middle of each half to form a hollow.

In a small bowl, mix together the onion, red peppers, artichoke hearts and tomatoes. Set aside.

In an electric mixer, blend until smooth the garlic, cream cheese, goat cheese, basil, salt and pepper. Add the vegetable mixture and mix until just incorporated. Spoon into the hollows in the bread and sandwich the two halves of the loaf together.

Slice into 4 portions and serve at room temperature.

Note: To roast peppers, place them on a baking sheet or shallow pan and broil in oven until skin blisters. Turn the peppers until charred on all sides, about 15 minutes. Transfer them to a bowl, cover with plastic and set aside to cool. When they are cool enough to handle, peel the skins and remove stems and seeds. You can also buy red peppers already roasted and bottled at the grocery store. Look for them near the pickles and olives.

Source: "Caprial's Cafe Favorites" by Caprial Pence (Ten Speed Press, 1994).

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