Italian Sandwich Near You

Soft bun, filled with meats, cheeses, and vegetables, sprinkled with oil, salt, and pepper on top. Yes, that is the mouthwatering Italian sandwich.

Many pizzerias and restaurants serve this satisfying dish, each using their own secret recipe and technique. However, there are some ingredients typically used for the Italian sandwich:

• Bread – Bread roll or bun is the most common bread choice. However, the sandwich can be made as a wrap, or as a pocket. The bun is usually fresh and soft (or just slightly crispy), but it can be toasted, too. It is cut lengthwise, and it should be large enough to hold the meats and cheeses in.
• Meat – Usually two or three Italian cured meats are used, such as spiced Genoa salami, mortadella, and capicola. However, ham, deli ham or boiled ham, bologna, and olive loaf can be used, too.
• Cheese – The Italian sandwich can be made with one of two types of cheese. The most common choice is provolone and mozzarella, although American cheese can be used, too.
• Veggies – The vegetables used in the original sandwich recipe are tomatoes, sour pickles, green peppers, onions, and olives. However, many restaurants include lettuce, coleslaw, banana pepper, and other veggies.
• Condiments – The original recipe for the sandwich doesn’t include any spread. Instead, the sandwich is sprinkled with oil, salt, and pepper. Still, many restaurants use mayo, mustard, pickled vegetable spread, (spicy) giardiniera, and more.
• Dressing – It is usually made with a blend of olive and vegetable oil, salt, and pepper. However, vinegar and oregano can be added too.

To make it easier to handle, the sandwich is usually cut in half prior to serving.

Even though the name suggests that the sandwich originated in Italy, it is an American creation. It was invented by baker Giovanni Amato in 1903 in Portland, Maine. He was selling bread in a street cart and started receiving requests from the local dockworkers. They were asking for bread rolls with sliced meat, cheese, and vegetables. Thus, the Italian sandwich was born.

Amato’s creation consisted of fresh-baked bread, ham, American cheese, onions, green pepper, slices of tomato, kalamata olives, sour pickle, and salad oil.

This popular sandwich is known as a grinder or a sub in Boston, or as a spuckie in east Boston. In Philadelphia and South Jersey, it goes by the name of hoagie or grinder.

There are many varieties to this popular sandwich and some of them are:

• Italian sub sandwich – It is the most common variation, very similar to the original Maine sandwich. It is made with soft or hard Italian roll, thinly sliced meats such as ham, salami and capicola, provolone cheese, shredded lettuce, onion, oil, vinegar, black pepper, and oregano.
• Italian sausage sandwich – Made with spicy or mild sausages instead of cold cuts. It gets topped with melted cheese and vegetables like tomatoes, onions, and peppers altogether served in a hoagie roll or a hot dog bun.
• Italian beef sandwich – Originating in Chicago this sandwich variety consists of thin slices of slow-cooked beef in an Italian-style roll (dipped into the meat juices released during cooking, or not). It is topped with hot Chicago-style giardiniera or sauteed green Italian sweet peppers.

A classic Italian sub made with boiled ham, capicola, genoa salami, and provolone cheese has around 700 calories. It has a high content of fat (50g) and sodium ((2500mg). Furthermore, there are 52g of carbs and 42g of protein in an Italian hoagie.

To lower the calories, fat and sodium levels, opt for half a sandwich, or choose healthier ingredients. Get whole wheat rolls, extra veggies, lite cooked ham, low salt salami, and low-fat cheese.

Order a delicious large (12’’) or small (8’’) Italian sandwich with ham, salami, capicola, onions, sweet peppers, and cheese from Primo Pizza restaurant in Boston. When in Philadelphia choose an Italian hoagie or grinder with cooked salami, capicola, and provolone cheese from Garden pizza.

Or go for an Italian sub from New York’s Sandy’s Deli & Catering. Get half or whole sub, toasted or fresh, and enjoy the delicious combination of capicola hard salami and provolone.

All three restaurants are available in the Slice app. Order now with fast delivery or convenient pickup.