Italian Picnic Sandwiches
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Have you ever, in your life, been as excited about summer, and the thought of getting out of the house to spend time with friends and family? After what felt like a spring that would never end, summer is here, and fingers crossed, life is gradually starting to return to (a new) normal.
So how does a picnic sound? No crowds involved. Just a few friends or family members, a nice shady tree, and these delicious antipasto picnic sandwiches. Or, if you prefer, serve them poolside or with a big platter of watermelon and a tub full of ice-cold drinks.
No matter how you serve these antipasto picnic sandwiches, they’ll elevate your summer snacking – and of course, they’re perfect for an easy lunch or dinner too.
Why I Love These Antipasto Sandwiches
So many reasons! They’re packed with more flavor than you can imagine. As in – everything that’s in your favorite antipasto salad or platter, but with the bite-sized convenience of a sandwich. No forks needed. There’s also no salad or vegetable side dish needed because the veggies are already packed into every bite along with savory and delicious meats and cheese.
These sandwiches are also very flexible and can be easily modified to incorporate more or less of your favorite vegetables, meats, and cheeses. You can also use any type of crusty bread you’re in the mood for. That’s a good thing if, like me, you went on a baking spree during your quarantine and have a freezer full of sourdough bread.
The thing I love best is that these antipasto sandwiches are incredibly easy to make ahead of time. In fact, they taste even better if you make them ahead of time. That means you get to spend time catching up with friends and family instead of in the kitchen.
About Primo Taglio Meats® and Cheeses
There’s a lot going on inside of these sandwiches, but it’s the Primo Taglio® meats and cheeses that are the star of the show. Primo Taglio stands for “first cut” in Italian. That means every slice is as fresh and delicious as the first.
Primo Taglio is Safeway's exclusive line of premium quality meats and cheeses. They’re made with high-quality ingredients using traditional and time-honored preparation methods. Besides the fact that they taste delicious, here’s what's special about them:
- They have no artificial flavors, colors, or MSG (with the exception of some classics like American cheese and certain value meats)
- Cheeses are made with the highest quality milk, and they're naturally aged – up to two years
- Meats are made with whole muscle meat and no binders or fillers
I get them in the deli section of my neighborhood Safeway store. You can also find exclusive Primo Taglio meats and cheeses at any of the Albertsons family of stores, including Albertsons, Safeway, ACME Markets, Jewel-Osco, Vons, Randalls, Shaw’s Supermarket, Star Market, and Tom Thumb.
Recipe
Antipasto Picnic Sandwiches
Ingredients
- 10 ounce loaf of whole grain Italian bakery bread round or long loaf
- 14 ounce can artichoke hearts in water drained
- 12 ounce jar roasted red peppers drained
- ½ cup green or black pitted olives drained
- ½ cup sliced picked peppers jarred, sweet or hot, drained
- ¼ cup thin sliced sweet onion
- 2 tablespoons juilienne sundried tomatoes in olive oil and herbs
- 2 tablespoons prepared pesto
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 2 ounces Primo Taglio Italian Dry Salame
- 6 ounces Primo Taglio Pan Roasted Turkey Breast
- 2-3 ounces Primo Taglio Provolone cheese
Instructions
- Slice the loaf of bread in half lengthwise, and with a fork scoop out part of the bread from each half to make 2 cavities for the filling. Be careful not to cut through to the bread crust. If desired, reserve the bread to make breadcrumbs for later use. Set the bread aside.
- Chop the artichokes, roasted red peppers, and olives into small pieces (bite size). Put them into a large mixing bowl.
- Add the sliced pickled peppers, onion, sundried tomatoes, pesto, oil and vinegar to the bowl. Toss everything to combine well.
- On one half of the bread, spoon the vegetable mixture into the hollowed out cavity.
- On the other half of the bread, fill the cavity with any remaining vegetables, and then with the meats and cheese.
- Place both halves of the sandwich together and wrap tightly in foil. Refrigerate for up to 3 hours or until ready to slice and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Next time you’re at Safeway or your local Albertsons family store, pick up a few packages of their Primo Taglio meats and cheeses. Primo Taglio pan-roasted turkey, Provolone cheese, and dry sliced Italian salame are available exclusively at Safeway and Albertsons stores - or any Albertsons Companies stores.
They’re always a tasty hit, and great to have on hand for snacks, lunch, and of course, summer picnics.
Eat well!
