Italian Pressed Sandwich

Recipe  was adapted from the cilantropist.  
Photo taken from http://cilantropist.blogspot.com/2010/10/picnic-at-presidio-with-italian-pressed.html

Last summer I was looking for ideas for a beach themed party I was planning and catering.  I saw this gorgeous sandwich on PINTEREST all wrapped up and ready to go.  Thanks to The Cilantropist, I ended up using it for 4 different events that summer. I adapted it for my younger guests, but included other ingredients for my guests with more sophisticated tastes. Visit The Cilanthropist and check out the original recipe.  You can make it your own by using the ingredients you like.  Peppers, sun dried tomatoes, pickles...anything!   I had to use the photo above so you could see how perfectly they COULD come out. I had lots of helpers so my sandwiches were not as uniform (below).  I made over 300 of them.  Wrapped.  Tied.  

Ingredients

• Good quality salami or Italian sopressata (spicy salami)
• Provolone cheese
• Basil Pesto, preferably  homemade
• Fresh basil leaves, large
• Foccachia bread (from your local bakery or bakery section of the grocery store)

Directions

1. I open up the whole loaf of bread, spread the pesto and layer the ingredients.  
2. THEN I slice off the ends all around the loaf to make perfectly even edges, being able to see all the ingredients of the sandwich.
3. I wrap it tightly and refrigerate overnight. Even place something heavy on top, like a large hardcover book.   That enables all the flavors to meld or "marry" together.  This step really makes a difference. 
4. I then slice it into individual sandwiches.  Perfect serving size is about 6 sandwiches per loaf.  
5. If I am making these for an event or picnic, I cut parchment paper to fit perfectly around the sandwich with the ends exposed.  I tied each sandwich with kitchen twin and stacked them on platters and in baskets and on trays.  
6. The end pieces were cut up and used for an Italian Bread Salad.  Just add some grape tomatoes and a drizzle of olive oil.