The Sandwich

Recreating Lori Ochoa's Twist on a Pasadena Legend

Happy weekend! This week’s missive is a newsletter about a newsletter—specifically Laurie Ochoa’s Tasting Notes from Oct 5th with the subject line, “'The sandwich' is perfect. And yet ...”. In it, she wrote about her abiding love of “The Sandwich,” the near-mythic creation sold at Roma Market in Pasadena that has been covered by pretty much every food outlet in California. Jonathan Gold once called it “a perfect sandwich.” But really, she wrote about something she did that others might find sacrilegious—she added to it. And the photo she ran (which is much prettier than my version above) had me totally hooked. See for yourself:

Looks like something you want to eat right this very second, right? (Also, note to self, find out how Laurie lights her photos!)

Since I don’t live anywhere near Pasadena, I’ve never had the legendary sandwich; and since my trips to LA are usually focused on family obligations, I probably won’t get to any time soon. But that’s no reason I can’t try it for myself. Below is my recreation of Laurie’s “improved” version of the sandwich. From what I’ve read, the key to the original is its simplicity—just provolone, a few meats, and a drizzle of olive oil on a roll—and letting all the ingredients sit together for a while, to let the flavors meld. In my experience, the same is true of the improved version: I wrapped it up and took it to the beach in Marin, and it was amazing after sitting in parchment paper for a couple hours.

The Sandwich—Laurie Ochoa’s Version

The original sandwich is a simple combination of provolone, salami, mortadella, and capicola on a soft roll with a crispy crust. The only seasoning is a good drizzle of good-quality olive oil. Laurie’s twist is to add some fresh mozzarella, big pieces of jarred peppers, and some basil leaves. Both versions are good, but I’m partial to the “improved” version; I particularly like the zesty notes the peppers and basil add to the mix.

To get all the ingredients you’ll need, head to a good Italian market or a grocery store with a very well-stocked sandwich counter. You’ll want to get the main ingredients—the provolone and the three meats—pre-sliced. I found that the bread was actually the hardest item to find; my extremely well-stocked supermarket (the one that carries everything from truffles to lemongrass to Jif) didn’t have it for sale, but when I asked the deli counter what kind of bread they made their Italian sandwiches on, they were able to sell me a couple of pieces.

Makes as many as you like

Oblong Italian or French roll (something soft in the center and lightly crisp on the outside)
Provolone, pre-sliced
Salami, thinly sliced
Mortadella, thinly sliced
Capicola (or similar), thinly sliced
Good-quality olive oil
Fresh mozzarella
Sweet red cherry peppers in oil (or pickled peppers)
Basil leaves

Cut the roll in half and add a thin layer each of the provalone, salami, mortadella, and capicola. Drizzle everything with a little olive oil, then add some slices of mozzarella and some of the peppers and basil. For the best flavor, wrap the sandwich and let the ingredients meld before eating.

Other California Recipes to Make

Menu planning for this week has me thinking about the tidal wave of sugar that is going to come crashing down on my family on Thursday, after trick-or-treating, so I’ve been looking for ways to get lots of protein and veg on the table. The Santa Cruz Sentinel has a salmon piccata that looks delicious, and if you haven’t yet bought a copy of AfriCali, you’ll be thrilled to see that Kiano’s recipe for Swahili Chicken Biriyani has been excerpted on Eater. Earlier this month, Andrea Nguyen also posted a phenomenal-looking shira ae recipe with persimmon and spinach that has both the veg I’m looking for and some more protein (thanks to the tofu dressing).

But if you do want something sweet (in case your house isn’t flooded with candy), check out Ben Mims’ recipe for Butter Cookie Spirals, from his new cookie cookbook, Crumbs, coming out next week (excerpted on Katie Couric Media). Elizabeth Poett also shared a sweet treat, a recipe for simple caramel apples that would be perfect for Halloween.

[Editorial note: I’m not recommending anything from the LA Times for at least a few weeks; I find the owner’s decision to override the editorial board’s choice of presidential endorsements appalling and I’ve canceled my subscription.]

Photos: Georgia Freedman, Laurie Ochoa (excerpted from the LA Times newsletter Tasting Notes)