The Best Sandwich I Ever Ate

I was 22 years old and in Italy, alone. I was on a college tour, and had lost my passport in Rome. So the tour had to move on and I had to stay an extra day in Rome (downright awful, right?) to get my new passport. I was taking a train (I forget where, I think it was to meet up with the tour in Florence) but it was late in the day and I was starving, and broke. You see along with my passport, my Amex card was gone too, and I couldn't get a replacement for another few days. So, I had to make do with what little cash I had, and I was budgeting very carefully.

At the train platform, there was a lone vendor selling sandwiches. I did not have very high hopes for this lunch, but I figured, eh, it will be filling at least. I bought one. I heard "mozzerrella e tomate" and I though, how bad could it be, I paid the guy, took my wax-paper and string wrapped sammie, and hustled up onto the train.

Once settled in my seat, I unwrapped my "sang-weeche". The bread was crusty on the outside, yet soft and yeilding, not crunchy. I took a bite.... juicy, vine-ripe tomato, juices dripping, soft creamy mozzerella, and a couple of basil leaves on top of it all, nestled together in the most wonderful, chewy, warm, delicious bread ever. It was a revelation: how could the best sandwich I ever had in my life be gotten on a train platform? I savored every last bite and enjoyed it like no other meal I'd had to this point in my life.

That sandwich has haunted me ever since. I have tried many different breads, driving to the famed La Brea Bakery in Los Angeles, making my own Italian bread, trying the Italian bakeries around L.A. I see similar sandwiches listed on menus, and although good, never meet my expectations. Sometimes I wonder: Was it really that good? Maybe because I was so hungry and so young, what did I know? But, no, it was that good.

Today, I got close. VERY close. I wasn't even aiming for it, either. I bought this new "Whole-Grain Ciabetta" bread from Sam's. I think La Brea does make it for them, although not sure about that. I toasted it lightly in my broiler.

Then  I made a salad out of the last tomatoes of the season, very sweet little cherry tomatoes and one heiloom, with garlic, salt, pepper, evoo, fresh basil and some balsamic.

I then melted some fresh mozz on top of one of the halves until it was bubbly.

I ate, fork and knife style, because it was just too juicy. But the first bite: I thought, could it be? It was so delicious and very very close to the texture and flavors of my idol sandwich.

Try it, so easy! And maybe you'll have a sandwich revelation, too!

Make it a Great Day!
Ann

Italian Christmas Cookies

 

Growing up in New York, and on top of that Italian, there's no way it was Christmas without a huge platter of cookies from the Italian Bakery. These TriColors were always the favorite and went the fastest.

When we moved away from Brooklyn, sure we could find ones that looked like these, but never tasted as good as the Brooklyn ones.

When the family moved to out west, fuhgetabbowtit...no more cookies. Until my mom found this recipe. It's unbelievably close, and now I make them every year. People who never heard of them, try them, and then clamor for them.

Trust me, they are that good.

The recipe is not for the faint of heart; its not hard but its a lot of little steps.

Before starting, make sure you have room in your refrigerator; these need to be chilled and weighted overnight.

Italian TriColor Cookies

1 cup almond PASTE (NOT marzipan, there is a difference--check the label)

1 1/2 cups butter(3 sticks), softened not melted

1 cup sugar

4 eggs, seperated

4 teaspoons almond extract

2 cups sifted all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

10 drops green food coloring

8 drops red food coloring

1 8 oz jar apricot preserves

1 8 ox jar raspberry preserves (no seeds)

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 3 13x9x2 pans with parchment;lightly spray the parchment with Pam

2.Break up almond paste, add butter, egg yolks, almond extract. Beat with electric mixer till fluffy and smooth.

3.Beat in the flour and salt.

4. Seperately, beat the egg whites till stiff. Fold into the batter mixture.

5. Divide batter into 3 bowls: leave one plain, add red coloring to one , and green to the third.

6.Pour each color into their own pan...it will be a VERY thin layer. VERY thin. Tap to level. Its OK.

6. Bake for about 15 minutes, or until just the edges look golden. Do not over bake.

7. Lift cakes off the hot pan by the edges of the paper; let cool slightly while:

8. Heat up the preserves in the microwave until warm and spreadable.

9. Layer the preserves between the cakes as follows, leaving the parchment under the bottom layer on one pan. Bottom to top:Green, then raspberry, White, then apricot, Red on top. Top with more parchment, then wrap the whole thing tightly in foil, and place in fridge with another pan on top flt side down on the cake with a couple of heavy cans to weight it down.

10. Refrigerate overnight.

11. Take out, remove top layers of foil and parchment.

12. Melt chips in the microwave and stir till smooth and melted.

13. Pour chocolate on top of cold cake and spread evenly over top.

14. When chocolate is set, measure your cakes and mark into 1 x 2 inch rectangles, cut carefully, wiping and dipping knife in warm water before each cut.

These can be frozen in tupperware and keep for about 3 months.

Italian Bakery Cookies...yours will taste even better!

Make it a Great Day!

Ann