Garlic-Deli Focaccia Sandwiches

Hey, everyone! Let me start out with wishing you all a happy Chanukah! Ask me if I love Chanukah, and I’ll say yes because of all the gatherings, gifts, and family time. But for now,
let’s talk about the parties, and more importantly, the food.

Let me take you to Italy, a country known for their delicious food. I’ve never been there, but from what I’ve heard, Italians love to use the finest ingredients to create delicious meals which they eat while sitting around the table with their families. And they use tons of olive oil in their cooking, which plays perfectly into the theme of Chanukah.

This recipe calls for a lot of olive oil, which makes it so appropriate to serve on the holiday that’s all about the oil lasting eight days. Plus, as someone who isn’t a baker, it’s a real miracle that I created a delicious recipe that requires baking and it’s simple and easy as pie, or should I say bread? Make sure to use your highest quality extra-virgin olive oil for that perfectly pungent fruity flavoring.

There are so many ways to make this, and I’ll share some options below. So after you light the menorah, put on some music, tie that apron around your waist, and head to the kitchen to make your sandwiches.

I’ll be joining you all at your Chanukah gatherings through these delicious sandwiches, so make sure to save me a seat. To good food and even better vibes. Happy Chanukah!

4h 6
Easy Meat

Contains: Gluten, Wheat, Egg

Directions

Prepare the Focaccia Bread

  1. Place the water, yeast, and honey in a large bowl. Mix slightly and set aside for five minutes or until it froths or bubbles start forming. (If you don’t see any bubbles, it means your yeast isn’t good and you have to start again.)

  2. Add the kosher salt and flour to the yeast mixture and mix everything together with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon until a dough-like consistency forms. This should only take a minute; you don’t want to overwork the dough.

  3. Place three tablespoons olive oil in another large bowl and transfer the dough. Turn the dough over so that the dough and the sides of the bowl are fully coated in oil (leave the dough as is; there’s no need to make a ball). Cover the bowl well with plastic wrap and refrigerate for eight hours or overnight.

  4. The next day, spray a 9×13-inch (23×33-centimeter) baking dish with cooking spray or coat it with pareve butter.

  5. Remove the dough from the fridge and transfer to the baking dish. Coat the

    dough with two tablespoons olive oil.

  6. Using your hands, fold in each side of the dough to create a smooth ball of dough. Flip the dough, cover it with a kitchen towel, and set it aside in a warm spot. Allow the dough to double in size; this should take about two

    hours. Confirm that your dough is ready to use by pressing your finger into the dough. It should spring back slowly, leaving an indent.

  7. Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit (230 degrees Celsius).

  8. Pour the remaining olive oil over the dough, and using your fingers, press the dough in, making little dimples over the dough while stretching it to meet the edges of the pan.

  9. Place the pan in the oven and bake for 25–30 minutes or until golden brown.

    Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before cutting. Yields 6 squares.

Prepare the Garlic Aioli

  1. Place all ingredients in a 32-ounce (910-gram) container.

  2. Place an immersion blender in the container until you hit the bottom, then slowly blend while lifting the stick out until everything is emulsified.

  3. Seal the container well and store in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.

Prepare the Garlic-Deli Focaccia Sandwiches

  1. Slice the focaccia into even squares with a sharp knife. Then, slice each square down the middle to create two halves.

  2. Smear the aioli on one half, top with a slice of tomato, followed by the deli meat and then the greens. Cover with the other piece of bread.

  3. Wrap parchment paper around the sandwich and tuck the open end underneath it. Using the sharp knife, slice the sandwich in half diagonally. Drizzle the top with a drop more aioli and serve. Yields 6 sandwiches.

Notes:
Remove the dough from the fridge at least 3 hours before you want to serve it so that it’s ready on time.

Notes:
To roast the garlic, slice the top off a head of garlic and drizzle with some olive
oil. Wrap the garlic in aluminum foil and place in the oven on 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius) for 45–60 minutes. After removing the garlic from the oven, squeeze the soft cloves out from the bottom up.

This recipe is adapted from the mayonnaise my grandmother makes for Pesach! You can make it without the garlic and add any flavoring you like.

Yields 1 pound (450 grams)

Notes:
I knew I wanted to go with a no-knead dough to keep it simple. Allowing it to rise overnight in the fridge gives you a head start on your cooking so you have time to fry your latkes fresh. I went with the garlic aioli and deli meat filling because it reminded me of a sandwich I had while traveling this summer.

You can make the dressing or aioli your family loves best. And make sure to keep the
bread covered well after you bake it so you don’t have stale bread.

Variations:
Other ways to fill your bread:

I love dairy: Gouda cheese, pepper jack cheese, olives, sliced red onion

Classic Caesar: Romaine lettuce, grilled chicken, red onion, cherry tomatoes, Caesar
dressing

Caprese sandwich: fresh mozzarella, sliced heirloom tomatoes, fresh basil, a drizzle of your favorite vinegar

The best mis“steak”: thinly sliced grilled ribeye, pesto, your favorite vegetables

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