Stuffed Baked Sandwich

Stuffed sandwiches are popular dinner option at my house - fresh bread baked around savory meats, cheeses and vegetables. I can usually find stuffing options in my fridge (leftovers are great) and the sandwich can be served hot or room temperature making it a popular tailgate, buffet and cocktail party dish. The sandwich is pretty and slices are fun to eat with various sauces for dipping.

The filling below is a guideline. I routinely change up the ingredients, using what I have on hand. I've added some ideas below but you can use whatever meats and cheeses your family likes. Shaping takes a bit of patience but gets easier with practice. And even if it's not perfect, it tastes fantastic.

Make dough and let rise. Punch down and roll to a 14 x 10 inch rectangle.

For the filling, I used ham, large pepperoni, salami and provolone. Instead of pimentos,
I sauteed sweet pepper, onion & mushrooms and topped with home canned banana peppers.

Layer filling in center of dough. Make one-inch cuts in the dough on both sides of the filling.

Place alternating dough strips across filling. Allow dough to rise for 30 to 45 minutes.
Brush dough with beaten egg white, sprinkle with seeds, salt and/or pepper and bake.

Allow sandwich to rest for five minutes before cutting,
or let cool completely and serve at room temperature.

I serve with pizza sauce for dipping.

Stuffed Baked Sandwich
Adapted from Fleischmann's Yeast Best Ever Breads
Makes one loaf

3 to 3 1/2 cups all purpose flour (up to half can be substituted with whole wheat flour)
1 Tbsp sugar
1 pkg regular or quick yeast
1 tsp salt
1 cup very warm water (120 to 130 degrees)
1 Tbsp olive oil
3 oz sliced deli ham
3 oz pepperoni
3 oz salami
3 oz sliced provolone cheese
1 (2 oz) jar chopped pimentos, drained
1 egg white, lightly beaten
sesame seeds, poppy seeds, salt or pepper

In a large bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups flour, sugar, yeast, and salt. Add warm water and oil. Beat 2 minutes with mixer. Mix in remaining flour. Knead until smooth about 5 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover and let rise until doubled in size, 30 to 45 minutes. (With quick yeast, omit rising and proceed with shaping).

Punch down dough and roll to a 14 x 10 inch rectangle. Move dough to a parchment or silpat lined baking sheet. Layer meat and cheese lengthwise over center third of dough. Top with pimentos. With a sharp knife, make cuts on both sides from filling to dough edges at one inch intervals. Alternating sides, fold strips across filling. Cover and let rise for 30 to 45 minutes. Brush loaf with egg white and sprinkle with your choice of seeds, salt and/or pepper. Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes. Let cool five minutes before slicing. Serve with pizza sauce or Italian dressing for dipping.

Additional Filling Ideas:
These sandwiches can be made with a variety of fillings. Some of my favorites:

• Reuben: corned beef, sauerkraut and swiss cheese with Thousand Island dressing for dipping
• Ham, cheese and dill pickles with mustard for dipping
• Slow roasted beef, cheddar and red onions with horseradish sauce  
• Veggie: Sauteed onions & peppers, artichokes, black olives, tomatoes, fresh mozzarella

Pizza Pasta (baked penne)

When folks learn that I preserve the food from our garden they often ask: "How do you use all that food?"

My goal in preserving our garden is not just to enjoy it all year, but also to have products on hand that make meal prep easier. One of my go-to quick, satisfying dishes is Pizza Pasta which uses our jarred tomatoes and pickled banana peppers, frozen sweet peppers, and cayenne made from our dried peppers.

The recipe is an oldie-but-goodie from my college days. You can increase or decrease the ingredients to feed more or less people, bake in a large casserole or individual ramekins and use whatever pizza toppings you like. We're fans of pepperoni, sausage and banana peppers. It would be just as tasty with different meats and sauces (chicken, artichoke and bacon with a white sauce sounds good).

Pair with a fresh, crispy salad and homemade focaccia for a hearty dinner.

We buy half a hog twice a year from Six Buckets Farm.
The hog is processed locally which allows us to select seasonings.
We usually order hot Italian and breakfast sausage.

In a large pan brown sausage. I typically use 1/2 lb for this recipe.
While sausage browns, cook pasta according to package directions.

Remove browned sausage from pan, pouring off all but 2 Tbsp fat.
Add chopped peppers and onions to the pan. Saute for 5-6 minutes.
Add garlic and cook 1 more minute.

I use 3 cups of home canned tomatoes.
If you don't preserve tomatoes, substitute commercially canned. 

While vegetable saute, chop herbs. We still had fresh parsley and rosemary.
I added dried basil and oregano along with a pinch of our cayenne pepper.

Add tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, cayenne, herbs, salt and pepper. Simmer 5 minutes.

Combine sauce with cooked pasta and place in prepared dish. Top with pizza toppings.
I especially like the spicy, vinegary bite of pickled peppers.

We preserve a variety of peppers, but use the banana peppers in pasta,
salads and as a sandwich topper.

Top with cheeses and bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes.

Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Cheesy, saucy, comforting goodness!

Pizza Pasta
12 oz penne or ziti. I prefer whole grain.
2-3 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup each chopped onion and sweet red or green pepper
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups canned tomatoes with juice, home or commercially canned
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp sugar
pinch of cayenne, optional
Basil, oregano, rosemary, parsley, salt and pepper to taste
8 oz mozzarella, shredded
1/4 cup parmesan, shredded
Assorted pizza toppings of your choice: banana peppers, cooked Italian sausage, pepperoni, olives, etc.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and grease a 9x13 casserole dish. Cook pasta according to package directions, drain and set aside. In a large pan, saute onion and sweet peppers in olive oil until translucent, about 5-6 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add garlic and continue to cook an additional minute. Add tomatoes, paste and sugar. Simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes. Add cayenne, herbs and season with salt and pepper. Toss sauce with pizza toppings, pour into prepared dish and top with cheeses. Bake for 15 minutes or until bubbly and browned on top. Let cool 5 minutes before serving. Makes four generous servings.