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Holiday Sandwiches

17/11/2023

The “Holiday Sandwiches” sound like a special version of sandwiches that could be customized to be more festive and delicious compared to everyday sandwiches. There isn’t a universal recipe for “Holiday Sandwiches”, however, I can provide you with a basic recipe and suggest some additional ingredients to make them suitable for a festive occasion.

Ingredients

  • 500g of flour (preferably strong bread flour)
  • 10g of salt
  • 25g of sugar
  • 15g of fresh yeast or 5g of dry yeast
  • 300ml of lukewarm milk
  • 50g of butter at room temperature (or extra virgin olive oil if you prefer)
  • Eggs (1 for the dough and 1 to brush)
  • Sesame or poppy seeds (to garnish) - optional
  • Cold cuts, cheeses, and other flavorful ingredients for the filling (for example, cooked ham and provolone)

Preparation

  1. In a large bowl, mix the flour with sugar and salt.
  2. Dissolve the yeast in lukewarm milk and add it to the flour.
  3. Add one egg to the mixture and start kneading.
  4. Incorporate the soft butter (or oil) a little at a time, working the dough until it becomes elastic and smooth.
  5. Cover the dough with a cloth and let it rise in a warm place for about 2 hours, or until it doubles in volume.
  6. After the rising, knead the dough briefly again and then divide it into equal portions (depending on the size you want for the sandwiches).
  7. Form each portion into a roll and place them on a baking tray lined with parchment paper, leaving space between them for rising.
  8. Let rise again for about 30-60 minutes.
  9. Preheat the oven to 180 °C.
  10. Beat the remaining egg and gently brush the surface of the rolls.
  11. Sprinkle the rolls with sesame or poppy seeds, if you wish.
  12. Bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.
  13. Once cooked and cooled, slice them open and fill them with your preferred cold cuts and cheeses.

To make the sandwiches more festive, you can add special touches, such as a dough enriched with some spices (for example, nutmeg or cinnamon) or the addition of dried fruit (raisins, for example) into the dough. Moreover, you can play with the fillings, choosing gourmet or seasonal ingredients to surprise your guests.

Curiosity

Homemade sandwiches are a tradition in many cultures during the holidays, mainly because they allow sharing food made with love and can be customized in a thousand different ways to delight both adults and children. For example, in many Italian families it’s traditional to prepare sandwiches or small savory panettones during the Christmas period, enriching them with typical ingredients such as cured meats, cheeses, and even truffles.