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a closed seeded Italian sub roll cut across the middle, showing thin folded mortadella, dark-red soppressata and bresaola, pale sharp provolone, finely shaved white fennel, purple radicchio and tiny pickled cherry-pepper pieces, without tomato slices or mayonnaise
Andrew Fowler

Italian Sub

An Italian sub needs thin folds of meat and enough sharp dressing to cut through them, not a roll packed so tightly that you can’t close it. Mortadella, soppressata and bresaola give this one three different textures, with sharp provolone and a crunchy fennel-radicchio mixture in place of the usual wet lettuce pile. Shave the fennel very thin so it bends with the bread instead of poking through the filling. Dress the vegetables just before assembly and leave any loose liquid behind. This is the sub I’d wrap for ten minutes before cutting, because a short rest helps the layers settle without turning the roll into a sponge.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 4 soft seeded Italian sub rolls 8 inches long
  • 4 oz thinly sliced mortadella
  • 4 oz thinly sliced soppressata
  • 4 oz thinly sliced bresaola
  • 6 oz sharp provolone thinly sliced
  • 1 small fennel bulb trimmed and very thinly shaved
  • 2 cups finely shredded radicchio washed and dried
  • 1/4 cup chopped pickled cherry peppers drained
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 1/2 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper

Method
 

  1. Whisk olive oil, red wine vinegar, oregano and black pepper in a large bowl. Add shaved fennel, dry radicchio and drained cherry peppers and toss just before filling the rolls.
  2. Split the rolls lengthwise, leaving a hinge if possible. Pull out a small amount of loose center crumb only if the rolls are very dense.
  3. Divide provolone among the bottom halves, then fold mortadella, soppressata and bresaola evenly along each roll. Keep the meat in shallow folds rather than a high central pile.
  4. Lift the dressed vegetables from the bowl with tongs, leaving pooled dressing behind, and divide over the meat. Close each roll gently.
  5. Wrap snugly in parchment and rest for 10 minutes, then cut across the middle. Serve one sub per person or refrigerate promptly for later the same day.