Grilled Italian Picnic Sandwich Recipe
We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.
Picnics are the ultimate form of relaxed al fresco dining, and they can be as dressed up or down as you like, even with the food you bring. Recipe developer Julie Kinnaird shares with us one of her favorites to pack or enjoy on the back deck: this grilled Italian picnic sandwich. Though it sounds simple, it can single-handedly elevate your entire picnic or meal. Italian focaccia is grilled until golden with layers of ricotta and mozzarella cheese, zesty chile flakes, cured mortadella, peppery arugula, and raw pistachios to give it a surprising crunch. A slather of homemade garlic oil gives it a crispy exterior reminiscent of your favorite garlic bread.
We know what you might be thinking. Grilled sandwiches are usually best eaten straight from the pan, but this recipe works when transported as well. The softness of the ricotta and fresh mozzarella makes them tasty even when slightly cooled. These sandwiches can be wrapped in parchment paper or foil to carry in your picnic pack to enjoy alongside marinated vegetables, tomato salad, fruits, and Italian wine!
Gather the grilled Italian picnic sandwich ingredients
This recipe starts with focaccia. The Italian bread's airy interior makes it perfect for soaking up flavors like a sponge, such as the garlic oil you will make from extra-virgin olive oil and fresh garlic cloves. You'll also need to pick up some tasty fillings, including creamy whole milk ricotta cheese and your favorite red chile flakes to flavor the ricotta and add some spice. Add some raw, shelled pistachios for a bit of crunch to your shopping cart, as well as sliced Italian mortadella, which will be your meat filling. Don't forget about the fresh mozzarella, usually available in a ball form or pre-sliced — the latter makes it easier to add to the sandwiches. Round it out with some baby arugula leaves for a peppery freshness tucked into the grilled bread.
Step 1: Combine the olive oil and garlic
Heat the olive oil and garlic cloves in a small skillet over medium heat.
Step 2: Pour the garlic oil into a bowl for the grilled Italian picnic sandwiches
Once the cloves start to bubble, remove the pan from heat and transfer the oil and cloves to a heat-proof dish.
Step 3: Split the focaccia evenly
Cut the focaccia loaf into four even pieces.
Step 4: Slice each piece horizontally
Split all the bread horizontally, creating top and bottom pieces.
Step 5: Brush on the garlic oil
Take each slice of focaccia and brush both sides with garlic oil.
Step 6: Spread the ricotta on the bottom slices
Place the bottom slices crust side-up and spread 2 tablespoons of ricotta on each.
Step 7: Add the chile flakes and pistachios
Sprinkle the red chile flakes and pistachios over the ricotta.
Step 8: Include arugula in the grilled Italian picnic sandwiches
Layer on the arugula leaves.
Step 9: Bring out the mortadella
Add a few slices of mortadella.
Step 10: Time for more cheese
Top the four pieces with 2 mozzarella slices each.
Step 11: Top the grilled Italian picnic sandwiches with remaining focaccia slices
Brush the cut side of the remaining top slices of the focaccia with garlic oil again, and place on top of the sandwich, cut-side facing out.
Step 12: Heat up a pan
Heat a large skillet over medium heat.
Step 13: Start grilling the sandwiches
Place the sandwiches on the skillet, fresh mozzarella side down. Cook for about 5 minutes.
Step 14: Turn the sandwiches over
Flip the sandwiches. As the other side grills, brush on a little more of the garlic oil over the top. Cook for another 5 minutes.
Step 15: Grill until the cheese melts
Continue to grill on both sides, flipping occasionally and pressing gently on the sandwiches, until the cheese is melted and the bread is golden brown.
Step 16: Serve or wrap the grilled Italian picnic sandwiches
Serve the sandwiches immediately, or wrap in parchment paper or foil to transport.
What to serve with grilled Italian picnic sandwiches
Grilled Italian Picnic Sandwich Recipe
If you love your deli meats and focaccia, you need to make this grilled Italian picnic sandwich for your next outing. The textures at play are a bonus.
Ingredients
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 large cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 loaf focaccia bread (about 12x8 inches)
- ½ cup whole milk ricotta cheese
- ½ teaspoon red chile flakes
- ¼ cup raw shelled pistachios
- 2 cups baby arugula leaves
- 6 ounces mortadella, thinly-sliced
- 8 ounces fresh mozzarella, sliced
Directions
- Heat the olive oil and garlic cloves in a small skillet over medium heat.
- Once the cloves start to bubble, remove the pan from heat and transfer the oil and cloves to a heat-proof dish.
- Cut the focaccia loaf into four even pieces.
- Split all the bread horizontally, creating top and bottom pieces.
- Take each slice of focaccia and brush both sides with garlic oil.
- Place the bottom slices crust side-up and spread 2 tablespoons of ricotta on each.
- Sprinkle the red chile flakes and pistachios over the ricotta.
- Layer on the arugula leaves.
- Add a few slices of mortadella.
- Top the four pieces with 2 mozzarella slices each.
- Brush the cut side of the remaining top slices of the focaccia with garlic oil again, and place on top of the sandwich, cut-side facing out.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat.
- Place the sandwiches on the skillet, fresh mozzarella side down. Cook for about 5 minutes.
- Flip the sandwiches. As the other side grills, brush on a little more of the garlic oil over the top. Cook for another 5 minutes.
- Continue to grill on both sides, flipping occasionally and pressing gently on the sandwiches, until the cheese is melted and the bread is golden brown.
- Serve the sandwiches immediately, or wrap in parchment paper or foil to transport.
Nutrition
| Calories per Serving | 859 |
| Total Fat | 64.2 g |
| Saturated Fat | 18.9 g |
| Trans Fat | 0.1 g |
| Cholesterol | 83.8 mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 40.3 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 2.6 g |
| Total Sugars | 2.4 g |
| Sodium | 1,348.1 mg |
| Protein | 31.6 g |
Why should I place the bread inside out when making these Italian sandwiches?
Focaccia is a yeast-raised flatbread made from a rich dough flavored with olive oil and herbs. The dough has characteristic dimples on the surface made from pressing into the dough with your fingertips while stretching it out. After baking at a high temperature, focaccia develops a fluffy and tender inside filled with air pockets, while a nice crisp crust develops outside. The challenge of using focaccia for grilled sandwiches is preventing the already crispy exterior from getting dry or tough.
To solve this problem, Kinnaird says that simply turning the bread inside out allows the soft interior to take on the golden crackle of grilling. Meanwhile, the exterior crust softens by coming into contact with the fillings. The result is a unique texture contrast as the nooks and crannies of the bread become lightly fried from the brushed-on garlic oil while the inside retains a bit of that wonderful chewy texture, and there's also the mouthfeel from the melted cheese, salty meat, and crunchy pistachios.
What is mortadella? Can I substitute other deli meats or cheeses?
Mortadella is a type of cured pork sausage that originally hails from Bologna, Italy. It's recognizable by its pale pink color and polka-dot-like appearance, with bits of white pork fat, peppercorns, and (sometimes) vibrant green pistachios distributed throughout the meat. Due to its popularity across Europe, in 1661, production regulations for true mortadella from Bologna were codified. Compared with its cousin, American-style bologna, mortadella has a complex flavor and contrasting texture that make it stand out in a sandwich or on a charcuterie board.
If you can't find mortadella in the deli case or want to experiment with other meats for this Italian sandwich, Kinnaird says there are plenty of options. The key is to choose thinly sliced varieties so they are easily heated through while enclosed in the center of the sandwich. Prosciutto or the beef-based bresaola would be excellent substitutes for the mortadella and work well with the other flavors found in the sandwich. If you also want to switch up the cheese, try using smoked mozzarella cheese or fontina to keep the Italian character.