If you want something that pairs perfectly with a bowl of Tomato soup, or if you are Catholic and abstain from meat on Fridays during lent, or if you are cutting back on eating meat but you still want a surprisingly tasty and satisfying sandwich then read on because this is the hoagie recipe for you.
I know, I know, “cheese sandwich” sounds so lowly and down right boring like something you would only eat if you were awakened by hunger at 2AM and the only thing in your ‘fridge was bread and cheese. But that is not what we are talking about here and that’s why we are calling this a Vegetarian Friendly Hoagie or The Chef Hacker Cheese Hoagie.
Why Is This Sandwich So Good?
The 3 keys to this flavor delight is picking the right roll, using a complimentary combination of cheeses and the adding a salad-like set of toppings.
Start by getting a proper hoagie roll – that is one with a crispy crust and a soft inside. A fresh Kaiser style roll is perfect. If you can’t find one of those a small Italian loaf will do.
The perfect combination of cheese is equal parts mild provolone and salty muenster. The provolone gives it a nice “bite” and the salty, creamy muenster adds richness.
Finally, lettuce and tomato in a make-on-the-fly dressing just pushes this sandwich way beyond the level of what simple cheese and bread could achieve by themselves.
I suggest you give this simple recipe – uh…it’s really more of an assembly – a try and if you do let us know what you think in the “Leave a Reply” section below.
Chef Hacker Cheese Hoagie
Ingredients
- 1 Each Fresh Hoagie Roll
- 3 Slices Mild Provolone Cheese
- 3 Slices Muenster Cheese
- 3 Slices Tomato
- 2 Ribs Romaine Lettuce
- 2 Tbsp Cider Vinegar
- 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
- ¼ Tsp Dried Oregano
- Salt and Pepper
Instructions
Mise En Place
- Slice the roll so that you are left with top and bottom pieces of equal thickness.
- Remove and discard the thick rib section from the romaine then place one on top of the other. Starting at one of the narrow ends, roll them tightly and then slice them into ¼ inch strips.
- Starting at the narrow end, cut the tomato into ¼ inch slices.
Assembly
- Distribute the vinegar and most of the oil on the cut sides of the roll. Reserve some oil for step 4 below.
- Sprinkle salt and pepper on the cut sides of the roll.
- Place the tomato slices and then the cheese slices on the bottom half of the roll.
- Place the sliced lettuce on top of the cheese and season with oregano and additional salt, pepper and oil.
- Place the top section of the roll on the sandwich, cut it and serve.