Sandwich recipes worth digging into

The wide world of sandwiches stretches from cold meats to hot, grilled, or even desserts. The possibilities are endless. In the book "The Encyclopedia of Sandwiches" by Susan Russo, you can quickly see that if you can dream it up, it can be done.

I like the way the book is indexed by ingredients and not sandwich names. If I want to use raspberry preserves, I look under that ingredient and it lists all the sandwiches in the book that call for that ingredient.

I really enjoyed the history of so many of the sandwiches and where they originated and by whom. It is a very nice book and I am so glad that Joan and Rob Weeks let me borrow it for the week to read and share a few recipes with you.

Potato Chip Sandwich: A Crunchy, Salty Guilty Pleasure

2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter

2 slices white bread

4 to 6 dill pickle chips

A layer of your favorite plain potato chips

Spread peanut butter on both bread slices. Place pickle chips on one slice. Top with overlapping potato chips. Close sandwich and enjoy! Makes 1.

Crunch Delicious Variations

Plane Jane: Spread mayo on white bread and top with potato chips.

Banana Crunch: Spread peanut butter on white bread. Add sliced bananas, and top with potato chips.

Cheese 'n' Chips: Make a grilled cheese sandwich with American cheese and potato chips on buttered white bread. This salty sandwich may be the best midnight snack of all time.

Crunchy Chicken Cutlet Sandwich

For the cutlet:

2 eggs

2 tablespoons milk

1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2/3 cup plain bread crumbs

3 tablespoons olive oil

4 (4- to 6-ounce) chicken cutlets, about 1/2-inch thick

For the sautéed broccoli rabe:

1 bunch broccoli rabe, stems removed

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1/2 teaspoon salt

Additional ingredients:

4 torpedo or ciabatta rolls, split lengthwise

8 slices provolone cheese

In a wide shallow bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, red pepper and salt. Place flour in a separate shallow bowl; do the same for bread crumbs. In a large skillet over medium heat, warm olive oil. One at a time, dip chicken cutlets into flour and then egg mixture, allowing excess to drip off. Dredge in bread crumbs, coating evenly. Cook 3 to 4 minutes on each side, or until golden brown and crisp. Place on a paper-towel-lined dish.

Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Boil broccoli rabe 2 minutes; drain and plunge into a bowl of ice water. In a large skillet over medium heat, sauté garlic in olive oil until it starts to turn golden. Add broccoli rabe, red pepper, and salt. Sauté 1 to 2 minutes more, until broccoli rabe is just tender.

Place a chicken cutlet on each roll. Top each with broccoli rabe and 2 cheese slices. Broil 1 to 2 minutes, or until cheese melts, and serve immediately. Makes 4.

Primanti

This sandwich is a meal fit into a sandwich. This is Pittsburgh's famous sandwich and was founded at the Primanti Brothers restaurant in 1933.

4 ounces pastrami, turkey, roast beef or corned beef, or 1 (4 ounce) cooked ground turkey patty

1 slice provolone cheese

2 slices Italian bread

Handful French fries

1/2 cup vinegar-based coleslaw

2 slices tomato

Grill meat to warm through. When nearly done, top with cheese and continue to warm until cheese is melted. Place meat and cheese on top of 1 bread slice. Add fries, then coleslaw, then tomato slices and top with second bread slice. Makes 1.

Pepper and Egg Sandwich

You can easily substitute sweet banana peppers for the bell peppers and add diced cooked pancetta or bacon. This sandwich should be made right at the time it is to be eaten so you can fully enjoy the contrasting textures of the ingredients.

1 (12-inch) loaf crusty bread or 2 (6-inch) torpedo rolls, sliced lengthwise but still attached

1 tablespoon olive oil, divided

6 eggs

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced

1 medium green bell pepper, thinly sliced

4 slices mozzarella or sharp provolone

Preheat broiler. Drizzle bread with 1 teaspoon olive oil; broil 2 to 3 minutes or until golden. In a bowl, whisk eggs, slat and pepper. In a medium skillet over medium heat, add remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil. Add garlic and onions and sauté 1 to 2 minutes. Add pepper and sauté 3 to 5 minutes, or until soft. Add eggs. Using a spatula, stir occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes or until eggs are no longer runny. Place sliced cheese in bread. Top with eggs. Serve hot.

Strawberry Pound Cake Sandwich

To Macerate strawberries:

2 to 2 1/2 cups fresh ripe strawberries, thinly sliced

1/4 cup sugar, or to taste

3 tablespoons orange juice

Zest of 1 small orange

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Remaining ingredients:

About 2 tablespoons butter, divided

1 pound cake, sliced thin

1 (8 ounce) container whole-milk ricotta or mascarpone

A few hours beforehand, prepare strawberries: In a glass bowl, combine all ingredients for macerated strawberries. Toss well. Let rest at room temperature at least 2 hours.

Butter both sides of cake slices. Place on a hot buttered griddle; cook 2 minutes per side, or until golden brown. Remove from heat. For each sandwich, spread 2 tablespoons ricotta or mascarpone on 1 slice of grilled cake, top with a spoonful of berries and close sandwich. Serve warm. Makes 4 or 6, depending on the thickness of the bread.

Have a great week, and until next time, happy cooking.