Papa Sal's Ultimate Sandwich
Loading Video...
Recipe courtesy of Laura Vitale

Ultimate Sausage and Broccoli Rabe Sandwiches

Getting reviews...
This is my dad, Salvatore's favorite sandwich. To him it's really the Ultimate Sandwich. Made with a foccaccia roll brushed with garlic oil and topped with salt and pepper like we used to do back in our pizzeria days, it really is to die for. My Dad loves the combination of sausage and broccoli rabe with melted provolone.
  • Level: Easy
  • Total: 2 hr 10 min (includes resting times)
  • Active: 50 min
  • Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Share This Recipe

Ingredients

Focaccia Rolls:

Sandwich Fixin's:

Laura's Basic Pizza Dough:

Directions

  1. For the focaccia rolls: Place the oil in a small bowl and grate the garlic with a fine grater. Mix and set aside.
  2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
  3. Place the dough on a floured surface and flatten it out with your hands just a bit. Cut the dough into 4 or 6 triangles. Place them on the parchment-lined baking sheet and, with a small sharp knife, cut a few slits in the top of each.
  4. Brush some of the garlic oil on top of each triangle and sprinkle over the rosemary, salt and pepper. Cover the triangles with a lint-free towel and allow to rest for about an hour in a warm spot.
  5. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
  6. Bake the rolls until golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes.
  7. For the sandwich fixin's: Slice the garlic. In a large skillet with high sides, add 2 tablespoons of the oil and the garlic and cook over medium heat until lightly golden, about 2 minutes. Add the crushed red pepper flakes and cook for 30 more seconds.
  8. Add the broccoli rabe and cover for 1 minute to help it wilt a bit. Add about 1/2 cup water, season with the salt and pepper and continue to cook, covered, until quite wilted and all the water has evaporated, 7 to 10 minutes.
  9. Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over a heat level between medium and medium high. Add the sausages cut-side down and cook until fully cooked, golden brown and slightly crispy, 3 minutes per side.
  10. To assemble the sandwiches, cut each focaccia roll in half horizontally, top the bottom half with 3 pieces of cooked sausage, a handful of broccoli rabe and 2 slices of provolone. Place the top half of the roll on the sandwich and dig in!

Laura's Basic Pizza Dough:

Yield: dough for 2 pizzas
  1. Add the warm water in a small bowl and sprinkle over 1 teaspoon of the sugar and the yeast; set aside so the yeast can proof.
  2. Oil two bowls with a little olive oil and set aside. 
  3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough attachment, mix together the olive oil, salt, 3 1/2 cups of the flour and the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar. Stir the yeast in the water to make sure its all dissolved and add it to the flour mixture. Mix on medium-low speed until everything is combined. Increase the speed to medium and allow the machine to knead the dough, adding more flour if necessary, until it is smooth and comes away from the side of the bowl, 6 to 7 minutes. 
  4. Divide the dough in two pieces and roll each into a ball. Place a ball in each of the oiled bowls seam-side down, and brush the tops with a little oil to stop them from drying out. Cover the bowls with plastic wrap and place in a warm place (inside a microwave or a turned-off oven works best) until it doubles in size and when poked with a finger, the indent remains (it doesn't spring back), about 1 1/2 hours.
  5. Once the dough has risen, use immediately or store in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.

Cook’s Note

If you don't have time to make your own pizza dough, buy some from your local pizzeria. You'll be glad you did -- because nothing tastes better than a home-baked roll. And if you've got no time for baking, just use any crusty roll you can get your hands on. Instead of using broccoli rabe, you can make the sandwiches with broccoli, broccolini or even spinach in a pinch.

Fudge Factor

Train Frontman Pat Monahan's Dark Chocolate Obsession Feb 11, 2013

By: Cameron Curtis

Train frontman Pat Monahan, an avid chocolate lover, shared with us his top five reasons for eating dark chocolate.

Over-the-Top-Delicious Treats to Satisfy Your Food Obsession

Are you infatuated with ice cream? Do you lust over lobster? Swoon at the sight of chocolate? Here's the best recipe for each food …

Review: Anthony Bourdain and Eric Ripert's Chocolate Bar Nov 16, 2012

Anthony Bourdain and Eric Ripert have teamed up with master chocolatier Christopher Curtin to create the "Good & Evil" chocolate b …

The Craziest Chocolate Creations for American Chocolate Week Mar 17, 2013

It’s officially American Chocolate Week. Check out photos of mind-blowing chocolate creations.

Sifted: Plan-Ahead Valentine's Day Desserts Feb 6, 2013

By: Lauren Miyashiro

Get our take on the best in food news, recipes and more from around the web, including the best Valentine's Day recipes.

Chocolate Desserts

Indulge in our decadent chocolate desserts, from cookies and cakes to puddings, souffles and truffles.

How to Chop and Melt Chocolate

Lots of recipes call for melted chocolate. Follow these step-by-step instructions to do it properly.