Italian Pressed Sandwich

A slice of a sandwich made with focaccia bread and meat and cheese with olive tapenade.

5 from 5 votes

A meal-size Italian Pressed Sandwich. A loaf of focaccia bread, sliced in half and stuffed with deli meats and cheeses. Condiments include: aioli, tapenade, roasted peppers, fresh parsley and basil. Perfect for picnics and parties.

Prep Time15

Total Time15

Course: Sandwiches and Pizza

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: Italian picnic sandwich, Italian Pressed Sandwich, Italian sandwich, lunch sandwich, picnic sandwich, sandwich with focaccia bread

Servings: -12 Sandwiches

Author: Pat Nyswonger

Ingredients

1 loaf 9x13 focaccia bread
4 ounces butter softened
4-5 garlic cloves grated, crushed or minced
½ cup mayonnaise
2 cups deli olive tapenade
12 ounces sliced Genoa salami
2 deli roasted red bell peppers thinly sliced
8 ounces sliced deli smoked turkey
12 ounces sliced Provolone cheese
½ cup fresh Italian parsley leaves
16 ounces thinly sliced ham
2 cups fresh basil leaves

Instructions

For the Focaccia Bread:

Using a long, serrated knife, slice the focaccia bread lengthwise, through the middle. (see notes)
Lay the bread on a work surface, with cut halves up, and spread the butter on each half.

Assemble the Sandwich:

In a small jar or dish, combine the garlic and mayonnaise and spread 1/4 cup of the aioli on each half of bread; then spread 1 cup of the olive tapenade on each section of bread.
On the bottom half of the bread begin building the sandwich by layering the basil leaves on the tapenade, then the salami, Provolone cheese, Italian parsley leaves, smoked turkey, roasted peppers, ham, and the remaining basil leaves. Place the top of the bread on the layered bottom half.

Wrap and Press the Sandwich:

Wrap the sandwich tightly in plastic wrap, place on a 10x15-inch baking sheet.
Set another 10x15-inch baking sheet on top of the sandwich and weigh the sandwich down with something heavy such as a cast-iron skillet or heavy books.
Transfer to the refrigerator and chill for several hours or overnight.

To serve:

Remove from the refrigerator, unwrap the sandwich, and place on a cutting board. Using a long serrated knife, trim 1/4-inch off each of the edges and cut the sandwich into 6 individual meal-size servings or 12 smaller sandwiches.

Notes

Adding butter on the bread first will prevent oil from seeping into the bread.
This is a quick aioli sauce, for more intense flavor make it in advance and keep refrigerated for 12 hours until ready to use.
If your olive tapenade is exceptionally oily, spoon it into a fine mesh strainer and press down with the back of a spoon to release some of the oil.
Before slicing the deli roasted red peppers, lay them on a thick pad of paper towels and pat them dry.
Any combination of good quality of deli meats and cheeses may be substituted.

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