Best 5 Italian Hero Loaf Recipes

SIX-FOOT MEATLESS ITALIAN HERO

Steps:

• Wash and dry bell peppers, iceberg, tomatoes, celery hearts and parsley.
• Grind artichokes in a food processor with the peeled garlic and a pinch or 2 of salt, until largely puréed but still textural, like tapenade. If a little loosening is needed, blend in a glug of olive oil.
• Using a sharp knife, shave celery crosswise. Transfer to a medium bowl, and add the artichoke purée. Season assertively with salt and pepper, plus a nice long drizzle of olive oil; toss well and then set aside.
• Slice everything else that was washed and dried into the thinnest slices you can manage. Thinly slice the red onions into rings, then cut the rings in half to create half-moons. (Full rings of thinly sliced red onion have a tendency to become stringy as they wilt inside a sandwich, creating a bit of a choking hazard.)
• When ready to assemble the sandwich (at least 1 hour before eating, though the assembled sandwich can sit up to 12 hours in a cool place), chop the parsley, and stir it into the artichoke-and-celery mixture. Taste that the mixture is highly seasoned to your liking.
• Set up an efficient workstation with enough counter space for the bread, and have all your mise en place in neat containers in front of you. If possible, put the vinegar, oil and mayonnaise into squeeze bottles, just as they do at delis and salad bars. Wear gloves to make separating slices of cheese and onion and tomatoes while assembling more "grippy."
• Hinge the bread horizontally without slicing all the way through. Be assertive in butterflying the loaf open - like breaking the spine on an open book - in order for it to lie flat enough to receive all the fillings without your having to hold it open along the way.
• Build by overlapping the ingredients, or "shingling" them, along the central channel of the hinged loaf in the following order: cheese, lettuce, tomato, bell pepper, artichoke-and-celery mixture, red onions, black olives, hard-boiled eggs, jalapeños and cubanelle peppers.
• Generously salt and pepper the whole thing, then zigzag squiggles of mayonnaise, squirts of vinegar and olive oil. Finish with a light dusting of oregano.
• Squeeze the sandwich closed, and insert 8-inch wooden skewers, driving them in diagonally to prevent the sandwich from springing back open. Trim a couple of inches off each end, then serve and slice to order.

MOM'S ITALIAN BREAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the sugar, salt and 3 cups flour. Beat on medium speed for 3 minutes. Stir in remaining flour to form a soft dough., Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour., Punch dough down. Turn onto a floured surface; divide in half. Shape each portion into a loaf. Place each loaf seam side down on a greased baking sheet. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes. , Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400°. With a sharp knife, make 4 shallow slashes across top of each loaf. Bake 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool.

ITALIAN HERO SANDWICH

Steps:

• Rinse the red onion under cold water, then transfer to a large bowl. Add the red wine vinegar, dried oregano and 1 teaspoon salt. Stir to combine and set aside.
• Arrange the rolls cut side up so they lie flat. Spread with a thin layer of mustard and/or mayonnaise, if using. Shingle the entire surface with the cheese, then the cured meats. Scatter an even layer of pickled peppers.
• Add the iceberg lettuce and olive oil to the onion-oregano mixture and toss until well coated. Season to taste with salt. Pile the lettuce on one side of the sandwich, then close the sandwich and press down lightly. If packing, wrap the sandwich tightly in parchment paper or foil, then cut in half crosswise. Sandwiches will keep for up to 4 hours refrigerated.

ITALIAN HEROES

Steps:

• In a food processor or blender, combine the artichoke hearts, garlic and olive oil. Process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Slice the sandwich rolls in half lengthwise, and pull out most of the soft bread from the top and bottom. Spread the artichoke paste onto each side of each roll. Place layers of red peppers, arugula, salami, provolone cheese, pepperoncini, olives and onion into the rolls. Press sandwiches together, and wrap tightly in aluminum foil.
• Place sandwiches in the refrigerator, and place something heavy on top. It helps to place a plate on top, then place cans or any weighted containers on top. I used cottage cheese. Chill for up to 3 hours. Unwrap, cut in half and enjoy.

ITALIAN HERB BREAD I

Steps:

• Mix yeast, warm water, and white sugar together in a large bowl. Set aside for five minutes, or until mixture becomes foamy.
• Stir olive oil, salt, herbs, garlic powder, onion powder, cheese, and 3 cups flour into the yeast mixture. Gradually mix in the next three cups of flour. Dough will be stiff.
• Knead dough for 5 to 10 minutes, or until it is smooth and rubbery. Place in an oiled bowl, and turn to cover the surface of the dough with oil. Cover with a damp linen dish towel. Allow to rise for one hour, or until the dough has doubled in size.
• Punch dough down to release all the air. Shape into two loaves. Place loaves on a greased cookie sheet, or into two greased 9 x 5 inch loaf pans. Allow to rise until doubled in size, about a 30 minutes.
• Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 35 minutes. Remove loaves from pan(s), and let cool on wire racks for at least 15 minutes before slicing.