Pressed Italian Ciabatta Sandwich recipe
Pressed Italian Ciabatta Sandwich
(Photo Credit: KDKA)
Ingredients
3 medium red bell peppers – roasted – blackened skin removed
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons warm water
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 loaf ciabatta (1 pound, about 6 inches wide)
½ cup prepared black-olive paste
4 ounces fresh goat cheese
8 ounces marinated artichoke hearts, drained
6 ounces prosciutto, thinly sliced
4 ounces spicy salami, thinly sliced
2 cups loosely packed mixed fresh herbs, such as basil, cilantro, or parsley
Directions:
Grill peppers; cool and remove skins, then slice: Heat grill to (or a grill pan over) high, or preheat broiler. Cook peppers (on a rimmed baking sheet, if using broiler), turning frequently so all sides cook evenly, until completely charred, 10 minutes. Remove from heat, transfer peppers to a bowl, and cover with plastic. Set aside until skins loosen and peppers are cool enough to handle, about 15 minutes. Using your hands, rub off charred skin, rinsing your hands frequently under cold running water. Pat peppers dry. Slice peppers in half, remove seeds and stems, and cut flesh into 1-inch-wide strips.
Make vinaigrette:
In a medium bowl, combine Dijon and vinegar. Gradually whisk in oil, followed by water. Season to taste with salt and pepper; set aside.
Slice bread crosswise and remove interior Slice bread horizontally and scoop out soft interior—reserve it for another use.
Assemble sandwich:
Spread olive paste on bottom crust, then add peppers. Crumble goat cheese on top of peppers. Arrange artichokes over goat cheese. Drizzle half the vinaigrette (about 1/4 cup) on top. Arrange prosciutto and salami over artichokes. Scatter herbs over meats. Drizzle remaining vinaigrette (1/4 cup) over inside of top crust, then place top crust on sandwich.
Press sandwich:
Wrap sandwich tightly with plastic. Set a weight, such as a brick or large cast-iron skillet, on top at least 1 hour and up to 8 hours.
Slice and serve: When ready to serve, remove weights and plastic wrap and slice sandwich horizontally into 6 pieces
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CNET
6 hours ago
- CNET
This Ingredient Doesn't Help Your Pasta Water Boil Quicker, but It's Still Important
Pasta is the perfect meal for new cooks. After alll, you just have to drop noodles into boiling water and wait for them to cook, before adding sauce and enjoying your creation. Although it is quite simple, there are still nuances to making perfect penne or linguini that shouldn't go overlooked. Along with pasta's undeniable popularity comes a swell of hacks promising better, faster cooking results. And while some of these viral tips may do some good, many of them are pure farce, according to an Italian chef I spoke with. To learn the biggest pasta-making mistakes folks are making, I talked to professional chef and pasta pro Filippo de Marchi, chef de cuisine at De Majo Restaurant & Terrace. Here's everything you need to know about making the Italian staple. 1. Throwing pasta against a wall to see if it sticks Cooked pasta will indeed stick to a wall but that doesn't mean it's a good way to determine doneness. Laura Ciapponi/Getty "This isn't the best way to check for doneness," says de Marchi. "The texture of the pasta can change when it hits the wall and it doesn't give an accurate indication of whether it's properly cooked." Plus, you're likely to splatter your wall with starchy noodle juice or worse, watch it slide down the wall and behind the stove. Instead, scoop out a single strand and taste it. You'll then be able to tell if it's achieved that perfect al dente texture. 2. Adding olive oil to pasta water Olive oil in your water isn't the best fix for sticky pasta. Alina Bradford/CNET One of the worst offenses, according to Marchi, is adding pricey olive oil to pasta water thinking it will keep noodles from sticking. Olive oil is a necessary addition to most pasta dishes, but save it for the plate. Some folks think it will help keep pasta from sticking when added to boiling pasta water but "the oil just floats on top of the water and doesn't coat the pasta effectively," says de Marchi. "The best way to prevent sticking is to use plenty of water, stir the pasta regularly during the first few minutes of cooking and make sure to use the right size pot for the amount of pasta you're cooking. "This way, the pasta has enough space to move around and cook evenly," he adds. 3. Leaving the pot covered while the pasta is cooking Stopping your pot from boiling over can be as easy as putting a wooden spoon across the top. JannHuizenga/Getty Images "Leaving the lid off the pot while the pasta is cooking is the way to go," advises de Marchi. "This prevents the water from boiling over and helps control the cooking process. Plus, it allows the steam to escape, which helps prevent the water from foaming up and making a starchy mess." As recommended, be sure to also pick an appropriately sized pot so that your pasta cooks evenly. 4. Adding salt and thinking it will help the water boil faster Salt won't get your pasta water boiling significantly faster. Morton Salt/Amazon Based on a recent Reddit discussion, quite a few people are confused about whether adding salt to pasta water makes any real difference. The truth is that salt plays an important role in pasta water, but not when it comes to heat. (Impurities do change the boiling point of water, but the amount of salt you add to pasta water doesn't make a significant difference.) Rather, it's essential to add salt so that the pasta can absorb its flavor. "If you're cooking without enough salt, the pasta can end up tasting a bit bland," warns de Marchi, whose signature dish at NHC Murano Villa is spaghetti alle vongole. The seafood dish hails from the region of ocean-adjacent Venice and consists of vongole (typically clams, garlic, white wine, and chili flakes), sea asparagus, and lemon zest. 5. Draining pasta until it's completely dry Leaving a whisper of pasta water will help the sauce adhere. David Watsky/CNET There is a reason why salted pasta water is held in such high regard. Not only does it contain a delicious brine to enhance sauces, but it also helps the sauce adhere to the pasta itself. "This creates a more cohesive and flavorful dish," argues De Marchi. "A little moisture can go a long way in making your pasta dish extra tasty." 6. Running cooked pasta under water before serving Rinsing pasta after cooking may not be the special trick we all thought it was. Getty Images If you want to subject yourself to a potential injury via a rolling pin or wooden spoon by Nonna, run your cooked pasta under fresh water. "This can remove the starchy coating that helps the sauce adhere to the pasta," says de Marchi. "The residual heat from the pasta helps the sauce to marry with the pasta, creating a more flavorful and cohesive dish. Think of it like a beautiful marriage -- you want the sauce and the pasta to come together and live happily ever after, not to undergo a cold shower right before serving." 7. Precooking sheets of lasagna Not all lasagna recipes require precooked noodles. CNET "Precooking lasagna sheets isn't always necessary, especially if you're using a sauce with plenty of moisture," he says. "In fact, many lasagna recipes call for using the sheets directly without precooking, allowing them to absorb liquid from the sauce and cook during the baking process." Set it, forget it and let the magic happen in the oven. Pasta is not something to overthink or stress over. Its simple preparation makes it all the more enjoyable.
Wall Street Journal
10 hours ago
- Wall Street Journal
Anna Ornstein, a Holocaust Survivor Who Focused on Empathy as a Psychiatrist, Dies at 98
Anna Ornstein survived the Auschwitz death camp as a teenager—in part, she believed, because her parents had endowed her with a sturdy sense of self-esteem and comfort with herself and her family. 'My good luck was to grow up in a home with Jews who were proud of being Jewish,' she said in a 2018 speech.
Time Business News
a day ago
- Time Business News
Why ItaliaChains Has the Best Moissanite Tennis Chains (And Why Yours Keeps Flipping)
If you've ever worn a men's tennis chain that flips more than a politician during election week, chances are it didn't come from ItaliaChains. Because let's be honest — the moissanite tennis chain might be one of the shiniest pieces in men's jewelry, but not all of them are created equal. Especially when 90% of what's out there is mass-produced in China, with stones that fall out faster than your trust in gas station sushi. Enter: — the real ones behind the best handmade Italian tennis chains, made from solid 925 sterling silver, set with VVS D-color moissanite, and polished smooth like a glass of aged limoncello. Let's start with the obvious: these chains are actually made in Italy. Not 'Italy-inspired,' not 'Italy-designed,' and definitely not 'ships from Italy but made in who-knows-where.' ItaliaChains handcrafts their moissanite tennis chains in Arezzo, Italy, the jewelry capital of the country. Each link is carefully engineered and polished to lie flat and smooth on the neck — no flipping, twisting, or awkward tangling. Because what's the point of an iced-out chain if the back of it is always the part showing? Look, we're not here to throw shade — but let's call it what it is. Mass-produced Chinese tennis chains often: Use cheap prongs or glue to hold stones (not good) Don't have proper link balancing, so the chain flips like a pancake Feature stones that look shiny… until you turn on the light shiny… until you turn on the light Are plated over brass or mystery metal instead of real silver Meanwhile, ItaliaChains offers: Real VVS D-color moissanite stones — yes, they pass the diamond tester stones — yes, they pass the diamond tester Solid 925 sterling silver bases or 14k gold vermeil over silver bases or over silver Hand-set stones that won't pop out the second you sneeze that won't pop out the second you sneeze Polished links that are smooth, flexible, and made to lay flat like a pro 1. 'This moissanite tennis chain looks better than my friend's real diamonds. No one can tell the difference — not even the jeweler.' — Andre M., New York, NY 2. 'Finally, a tennis chain that doesn't flip! I've worn mine every day for two months and it still sits perfectly flat.' — Brian S., Los Angeles, CA 3. 'I bought the 4mm moissanite tennis chain from ItaliaChains and paired it with their matching bracelet. People think I dropped 10K — I let them think that.' — Jason R., Miami, FL 4. 'I compared mine to one I bought from another site. The ItaliaChains version was heavier, the stones were brighter, and it didn't turn my neck green.' — Elijah W., Chicago, IL 5. 'Customer service helped me pick the right length, and the quality blew me away. Handmade in Italy really does hit different.' — Marcus D., Houston, TX If you're looking for a moissanite tennis chain that shines like diamonds, doesn't flip like a fish, and actually lasts more than two parties, is where it's at. With real Italian craftsmanship, GRA-certified moissanite, and no middleman markup, they're delivering men's tennis chains that check every box: ✅ Shine✅ Weight✅ Comfort✅ Durability ✅ Not made in a warehouse that also sells fidget spinners Skip the hype. Go for the handmade. ItaliaChains has the smoothest, iciest, flattest moissanite tennis chains on the market — and your neck will thank you. TIME BUSINESS NEWS
