Italian Rocket – Ultimate Hoagie

There are those days when you get home from work and the LAST thing you want to do is cook. Yes even I, The Kitchen Whisperer, has days like those.  Fortunately I don’t have those days too often else I think Mr. Fantabulous would go and find a new wife.  I swear he keeps me around for my mad kitchen skills.. LOL  Well okay not true; I  know that but I kind of set the bar when it comes to cooking. This man that once I think would eat rocks covered in Italian Gravy is one of the BIGGEST food snobs out there thanks to yours truly.  But honestly I love that about him as he is my biggest and roughest critic.  If it sucks, he’ll tell me and trust me he’s told me that a few times.  I’ve even gotten the “OMG honey, never EVER share this cause you’ll go out of business!”  Yeah so not all of my creations are genius… well okay, unless you’re looking for a weapon of destruction.  haha

But one thing I know he LOOOOOOOOOOVES are my homemade hoagies.  I always make sure I have a few of my Soft ‘n Chewy Hoagie Rolls on hand either freshly made or in the freezer for days just like this. On my way home, I picked up the necessities (meats, cheeses, veggies).  I was all set.

These take no take to bake up and they are just so good. Now, just like any hoagie/sub/grinder you can add on whatever you want but these are classic in my house; always have been.  Virginia Baked ham, Spicy Sandwich Pepperoni, Hard Salami and Capi ola for the meats, pepper jack for Mr. Fantabulous and Provolone/Mozzarella for me and then the veggies.  This is were we separate church and state if you will.  He loves it ALL – onions, tomatoes, spinach, lettuce, hot peppers, olives and all that other stuff.  Me… I like to keep it pure and simple… lettuce, spinach and that’s it.  Well okay, that’s not true. I HAVE to have about 473 pickles on the side.  I LOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE pickles with a hoagie!

These, as I said, are super easy to make provided you have the buns on hand. Sure you can cheat and *gasp* buy them from a store but my Soft ‘n Chewy Hoagie Rolls are some of the best out there!

I can remember the first time I made these for dinner.  I had come home from a really rough day at work.  I was cranky, mad at the world and just didn’t want bothered but I knew I had to make dinner.  Sure Mr. Fantabulous would make it but since he’s not allowed in my domain, it’s kinda hard making dinner with no oven, pots, pans and in the office.  LOL Plus honestly, being in the kitchen is where I find solace.  It comforts me and helps me relax.  I don’t have to think; I just… do my stuff.

Anyway he comes out to the kitchen asking what’s for dinner and when I tell him he said “What?  Subs for dinner? Like seriously?  A sandwich?  For dinner??”  in a tone that wasn’t exactly welcome.  He got the look and I might have hissed, muttered a few cuss words and told him to starve then.  Yeah, I was that cranky.

So I continued on with my plan, prepped these beauties and popped them in the oven (sans the veggies) to crisp up and melt the cheese.

While these were baking away I got changed and sat for a few minutes just to unwind.  By this point Mr. Fantabulous peeked his head out to see me (and to see if was safe).  He knew I had a bad day so he was trying to make me laugh (which doesn’t take much with that goof).  Finally these were done as as I was prepping them he stood there quietly staring at them.  I didn’t say anything; just went about my business until finally he said “Honey seriously that looks so awesome!  It doesn’t look like any hoagie I’ve ever had.

I know… cause I made it!  LOL

As he sat down and took his first few bites, some dressing dripping onto his chin and plate you could see the food elation in his face. I just blew his mind with this thing.  Trust me, I know that man and I knew EXACTLY what I had done.

I honestly don’t think he came up for air with this.  He kept raving over and over how much he loved this thing and could I make him another for work tomorrow.

So yeah, when you have ‘sandwiches’ like this for dinner, be prepared to make a few extra for the next day.

Plus imagine making a few of these for the football games!  BONUS!!!

Italian Rocket – Ultimate Hoagie

• Author: The Kitchen Whisperer

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Ingredients

• 4 Soft ‘n Chewy Hoagie Rolls cut length-wise but not all the way through
• 16 slices of Virginia Baked Ham
• 20–24 slices sliced Hard Salami
• 20 slices Spicy Sandwich Pepperoni
• 16 slices Capicola
• 16 slices Pepper Jack cheese or 8 slices Mozzarella Cheese and 8 slices Provolone cheese
• 4–5 cups chopped lettuce
• 2 large tomatoes sliced into 1/8–1/4” thick slices
• 1 large sweet onion (preferably red) sliced into 1/8″ slices (rings)
• 1–2 cups banana pepper rings (however hot you like it)
• Italian Dressing
• Oregano

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400F with the rack in the middle.
2. Place 4 wide open split rolls on to cookie sheets.
3. Starting at one end, lay down 4 pieces of the ham slightly overlapping one another until you reach the other end of the bun. You want to place your ham to where it covers almost all of the bread. Alternatively, you can fold the ham in half and place on the bottom half of the bun. Completely your call.
4. Add 4-5 slices of hard salami on top, again slightly over lapping from one end of the bun to the other.
5. Add the capicola and sandwich pepperoni in the same manner.
6. If the meat is only on one side of the bun, place 4 slices of the cheese (4 of the pepper jack or 2 of the provolone and mozzarella) on the non-meat side. If you’ve place the meat along the middle of the bun so it spreads out over both sides, place the cheese in the same fashion but not putting the cheese to the end (you don’t want it to melt off).
7. Next, sprinkle a pinch of oregano on top of the meat and cheese.
8. Now some choose to drizzle some dressing on top prior to baking. You can do so but remember it can make the bread soggy.
9. Place both trays in the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes or until the bread is toasted and the cheese is melted. I prefer to leave it in 12-14 minutes as I like that slight char/crispness the meat gets on the ends.
10. Remove from the oven and garnish with lettuce, onions, tomatoes and hot pepper rings.
11. Drizzle on Italian Dressing.

Notes

Other additions can be spinach, olives, jalapenos and etc.

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