Ham n’ Cheese Foccacia

I love sandwiches. I could sandwiches everyday for every meal. That’s how much I love them.  When Lauren posted this recipe I was all over it. I wanted to make it right away, only I didn’t have the ingredients. When I finally made this sandwich I photographed every step because I knew this was going to be a good sandwich and I wanted to share it with you all. I’ve made it two more times since and it has become a favorite with our family. Yes. All six kids and my husband LOVE this sandwich. Shall we get started?

 

Start with a beautiful loaf of foccacia bread. I found, at the store, that there are several different kinds of foccacia bread: cheddar, cheddar jalapeno, herb. Just pick your favorite.

Here are the rest of the goodies for this sandwich. You’ll need ham, of course, Italian dressing, roasted red peppers, artichoke hearts, basil, mozzarella cheese, and provolone cheese. You can’t go wrong with these ingredients can you? Slice the bread in half and slather Italian dressing on both sides of the bread. I love the tangy flavor of Italian dressing.

On the bottom side of the loaf we’re going to start layering! Grab the Provolone cheese and pile it on. Throw some ham on top of the cheese.

Slice up the red peppers and place them on top of the ham. Next dice up the artichokes. They’ll go over the red peppers.

   

Chop up your basil. It’s the perfect herb. It’s one of my favorites. Load that basil on top of the artichokes.  We don’t want to skimp on the cheese, so pull out your mozzarella. Pile on as much as you want. You can never have too much…at least that’s what I say.

Top that sandwich off with the other side of the foccacia loaf. How does it look? Perfect? Of course. But wait. We’re not done. We’re about to make it even better. Ready?

Wrap that whole thing in foil. Get that oven ready and stick it in there. We’re going to bake it! Okay. Wait for it….

Ding! It’s done. There you have it. A perfectly baked sandwich with some amazing melted cheese. 

Bam! This perfect sandwich is incredible when paired with a Gail Dorr dill pickle…and maybe some chips on the side. Enjoy!

Baked Ham and Cheese Focaccia Sandwich

1 herb flavored focaccia (approx. 12 in round)
6 TBSP prepared Italian dressing
6 oz. sliced Provolone cheese
8 oz. thinly sliced smoked deli ham
1 jar (7 oz) roasted red peppers, drained well
1 jar (6 oz) marinated artichoke hearts, drained and sliced
1/2 c. lightly packed fresh basil leaves, shredded OR 1 tsp dried basil
4 oz. sliced Mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 375. With a serrated knife, slice the focaccia crosswise in half. Brush cut surfaces with Italian dressing. Place bottom layer, cut side up, on large pieced of aluminum foil. Layer bread with Provolone, ham, peppers and artichoke hearts; sprinkle with basil. Top with Mozzarella slices; close with top half of focaccia. Wrap foil around bread and bake until sandwich is hot and cheese has melted, about 20 minutes. Cool slightly; cut into wedges to serve.

Yields: 6 servings