These two open-faced sandwiches are the kind of food that take the hipster phrase “on toast” and give it real meaning. The first one, a ricotta, nectarine, and prosciutto sandwich, came from my daughter, who spent six weeks in Italy a number of years ago, taking full advantage of the language (read: culinary) education she received there. She gained a pound a week, eating six meals a day, including one of these sandwiches in tramezzini form, and said it was one of the best things she’s ever done.
Her schedule that summer:
Breakfast: eggs, fried potatoes, apricot jam-filled croissants
Lunch: Italian baguette with cheese, Italian meats and olive oil
Post-lunch snack: ½ pound dried fruit from local (fantastic) dried fruit vendor
Tea: tramezzini sandwiches – crustless triangles of salami, prosciutto, egg, with gelato or pastry for dessert
Dinner: pasta, always pasta!
After dinner snack: more gelato
Her thinking: weight can be lost; the opportunities to experience as many foods of another culture as possible are harder to come by. This sandwich is a magnificent indulgence – just be sure the nectarines are ripe to get the full flavor combination.
The second sandwich is grilled chicken and bacon, with homemade mayonnaise and crushed avocado on a butter-grilled sourdough toast – a mouthful in all ways. What elevates this beyond any chicken and bacon club is the butter-toasted fresh bread and the homemade mayo. I don’t know why I haven’t been making homemade mayonnaise all these years. It’s so easy, and the difference in the taste is enormous. The bacon should be well-cooked, and the avocados will need a squeeze of lemon juice to keep them from turning brown, if you’re not serving this immediately.
Open-faced sandwiches are appearing on more menus, as diners edit the top piece of bread from their meals, so the bottom piece of bread has to be crisp and toasted to provide a sturdy base for the other ingredients. These are both easy weekend lunch or brunch options, and if you have any leftover ingredients for leftovers, it all keeps nicely for another day.
Ricotta, Nectarine & Prosciutto Sandwich on Multiseed Bread
Prep time: 5 minutes
Serves: 2
Ingredients
- 2 slices Whole Foods Harvest Bread (or any multi-seed bread that is soft and fresh)
- 3 tablespoons ricotta cheese
- 1 medium nectarine
- 4 ounces prosciutto
- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinaigrette
Directions
- Spread ricotta cheese on two pieces of fresh multi-seed bread.
- Layer nectarine slices and prosciutto over the ricotta.
- Drizzle a few drops of balsamic vinaigrette over the top of the sandwiches and serve.
Grilled Chicken, Bacon & Avocado on Sourdough with Homemade Mayonnaise
Prep time: 25 minutes
Serves: 2
Ingredients
- 4 grilled chicken tenders
- 3 strips bacon, well-cooked
- 2 tablespoons fresh mayonnaise (recipe below)
- 1 avocado, roughly mashed
- 1 large round slice of sourdough bread
- ½ teaspoon butter
- parsley for garnish
Directions
- Grill chicken tenders until cooked through and set aside.
- Roast 3 strips of bacon in the oven at 450 degrees for ten minutes, or until well-cooked.
- Mix together the mayonnaise and set aside.
- Mash avocado pieces into a thick paste.
To assemble the sandwich:
Directions
- Cut the top off a loaf of round sourdough bread (cutting horizontally, rather than vertically, as a loaf of bread is normally cut.)
- Cut one slice of bread off the top of the loaf, butter on both sides and toast until bread is golden brown in a large frying pan.
Homemade Mayonnaise
Spread mayonnaise and avocado on bread, and top with bacon and grilled chicken. Garnish with parsley. Cut sandwich round in half and serve.
Ingredients
- 1 egg yolk, room temperature
- 3 teaspoons lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cold water
- 1 teaspoon smooth Dijon mustard
- ¾ cup canola oil
Directions
- Using a hand whisk, whisk together egg, lemon juice, salt, water and mustard in a medium glass bowl, until foamy.
- Slowly add the oil, a few drops at a time, until oil is mixed into the egg mixture.
- As mayonnaise emulsifies, continue to add the rest of the oil, until it is a thick, yellowish mixture.
- Correct seasoning to taste; it may need more salt or lemon if it doesn’t have enough flavor.
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