Antipasti Sandwich

This sandwich would make great party food because it needs to be made ahead and it’s fun & unique with great flavors.  And of course it’s perfect for summer because there is absolutely no cooking involved!  But don’t wait until your next party to serve it–make it for your own family for dinner like I do! I’ve already made this sandwich twice in the last month.  We love it! 

Antipasti Sandwich
Printable recipe
Printable recipe with picture 

Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 medium zucchini, thinly sliced lengthwise
1 red bell pepper
1 loaf crusty bread (about 1 lb), sliced in half lengthwise
1 can (15.5 oz) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 garlic clove, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 lb. mortadella, prosciutto, or thinly sliced deli ham (I used Genoa Salami)
1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves
1 cup marinated artichoke hearts, drained and quartered or sliced
1/2 cup (1 oz) shaved Parmesan
1/2 cup pepperoncini, drained and halved if large 

Sprinkle a double layer of paper towels with salt and place zucchini on top in a single layer. Sprinkle with salt and roll up like a newspaper. let sit 10 minutes to draw out excess liquid. 

Over a low gas flame or under the broiler, roast bell pepper until skin is charred, 10 minutes, turning frequently. Place in a bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. (I always just pop the blackened pepper into a quart-size Ziploc bag.) Let sit 10 minutes. Rub bell pepper with a paper towel to remove skin, then core, discard seeds, and slice flesh into strips. 

The black skin is very easy to remove once it sweats for 10-15 minutes.

<picture source> 

Pull out about 2 cups bread from inside loaf halves. In a food processor, combine beans, garlic, lemon juice, and oil and puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Completely cover inside of both bread halves with an even layer of bean puree. 

I used half a loaf of French bread both times because I'm only feeding 2 people. This makes 3 sandwiches.

Arrange zucchini on bottom half of bread. Top with meat, parsley, roasted pepper, artichokes, Parmesan and pepperoncini. Sandwich with top half of bread and wrap tightly in plastic. Place on a baking sheet in refrigerator. Place another baking sheet on top and weight with several heavy cans. Let sit at least 3 hours (or up to overnight). To serve, unwrap and cut into wedges with a serrated knife. 

Serves 6 to 8 

Nutrition information (per serving–based on 6 servings): 496 cal; 16.2 g fat; 21.8 g protein; 63.5 g carb; 10.1 g fiber
Recipe source: Everyday Food, July/August 2010