Ingredients
4 tbsp. melted butter, divided
2 loaves sliced bread, white or sourdough
1 lb. deli-style sliced ham
1/2 lb. salami
1/2 lb. sliced mozzarella
1/2 lb. sliced provolone
2 c. baby spinach
1 (8-oz.) jar pepperoncini, drained and sliced
Parmesan and chopped parsley, for garnish
Preparation
Step 1Preheat oven to 400°. Brush half the butter inside a half sheet pan, then lay out bread in a single layer, overlapping slices to look like shingles. (Make sure the entire sheet pan is covered!) Press down on bread to flatten slightly. Step 2Top bread with mozzarella, then layer ham, spinach, salami, pepperoncini, and provolone on top. Shingle another layer of bread on top, then brush with remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Put a second sheet pan on top of bread and weigh it down with a heavy skillet. Step 3 Transfer to oven and bake until the sandwich is pressed and starting to turn golden, about 10 minutes. Remove sheet pan and bake until top bread is golden, about 20 minutes more.Step 4Garnish with parsley and Parmesan, and cut into squares, if desired.
Overlapping the bread slices means you can fit more onto the sheet pan, and don’t worry—the melty Provolone and pressing these down (sort of like a massive DIY panini press) makes sure they still hold together. You could serve them as full size sandwiches, but we like to slice them up both for more servings and ease of portability. A whole sandwich might not be a party food, but mini ones definitely are! The great thing about regular Italian subs is how simple and adaptable they are, and this one is no different. Don’t love pepperoncinis? Try roasted red peppers. Don’t eat meat? Take inspiration from our Vegetarian Italian Sub fillings and swap in some artichokes, roasted eggplant, or zucchinis for the ham and salami. Feel like it’s not a sandwich without condiments? Go wild and add your favorite mustards or mayonnaise. You might be tempted to skip the garnish, but we highly recommend the Parmesan. It adds a bit of nutty, cheesy texture we look forward to in every bite. Made this recipe? Let us know how it went in the comments below.
