You might recall that some time ago I made porchetta for a family feast. If you have never had porchetta before, think of it as this phenomenal pork roll that is just smothered in garlic, rosemary, thyme, fennel, and sage, then encased in pancetta, rolled up and cooked until you have a crisp exterior and a really moist and tender interior. It’s something to be reckoned with that is for sure.
After our feast was over, I had plenty of porchetta left over. I was not disappointed by that, I was actually excited. I was excited for those leftovers the following day. See to me, that leftover porchetta excited me much like others get excited by leftover turkey after the Thanksgiving meal. It’s that meal that keeps on giving, and giving in a lovely way. I already had my mind set when carving into the porchetta the previous day. I already had visions of making the porchetta sandwich. A sandwich that as basic as it is, could compete with some of the best sandwiches out there.
Let’s get started.
Ingredients:
- Leftover porchetta, warmed and sliced, as much as to your liking
- 1 ciabatta roll, sandwich sliced
- 2 slices of provolone cheese
- 1 bunch of broccoli rabe, rinsed clean and patted dry
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- salt and pepper, to season
When you are reheating your porchetta, place in a preheated, 400 degree oven, for about 10 minutes. Your goal is to warm the pork, and get the exterior skin a bit more crisp.
During this time, heat a skillet on medium heat. Add the olive oil, and bring to temperature. Toss in the garlic, and cook for about 30 seconds. Next, toss in the broccoli rabe, and move it around, tossing a couple of times. Continue cooking until it becomes nice and wilted, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
When the porchetta is warmed and the skin has achieved that crisp state, remove it from the oven.
You are now ready to assemble the sandwich.
Add the porchetta to the bottom half of the ciabatta, then top with the broccoli rabe, and top that the the cheese. The heat from the broccoli rabe will slowly melt the provolone cheese. Add the top bun, slice, and dig in.
When you bite into it, you get some crunch from the crackling, then some of that slight bitterness from the broccoli rabe, and then low and behold, that tender and succulent porchetta.
The sandwich alone is worth the time and effort it takes to make a porchetta. Hope you give it a shot one of these days, I think you will be happy you did!