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The Ultimate Game Day Hoagie
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Wondering what to serve a hoard of hungry football fans? Our hearty Hoagie sandwich is the ultimate Game Day snack.
What is a hoagie?
A hoagie sandwich is a large sandwich made of a bread roll (or loaf) piled high with deli meats, cheese and veggies.
Why is it called a hoagie sandwich?
We know that the hoagie originated on the East Coast, but like many iconic recipes, there are a few different explanations for where and how the sandwich was created. One of the most popular origin stories is that the sandwich was popular with Italian immigrants working at the Philadephia Navy Yard, Hog Island. The people – and their favorite sandwich – were known as “hoggies”. Over time, the name evolved to “hoagie”. Another explanation refers to the sheer size of the sandwich, implying that you had to be a hog to eat a sandwich that big.
What type of bread makes the best hoagie roll?
Since we’re serving a crowd, we used a loaf of French bread to house our hoagie fillings. We cut the loaf in half lengthwise, then baste it with olive oil and give it a quick toast. This adds flavor and makes a great base for the homemade mayo + pistachio pesto.
Note: Everything Bagel French Bread is a nice touch, but it’s delicious either way.
What’s in our hoagie sandwich?
In our humble opinion, the best sandwiches are stuffed to the brim with all the tastiest meats, cheeses and veggies. Here’s what we filled our hoagie with:
4 different types of cheese
½ pound turkey + 6 strips of bacon
6 different types of leafy greens
Tomatoes
Red onion
Roasted bell pepper
Pickled jalapenos
Pistachio pesto + homemade mayo
Red wine for the win
Drinks are an important part of any good Game Day get together. Beer might seem like an easy choice, but why not switch things up? Our hoagie sandwich pairs beautifully with a bottle of California Zinfandel or Cabernet.
Styling tips
Want to ensure that your game day sandwich is as beautiful as ours? Here are a few sandwich making tips to ensure yours is photo ready!
- Use a mandoline to make thin, uniform slices of tomato and onion.
- Use 2 types of cheese slices in varying colors and flavors instead of just one.
- When choosing leafy greens, use a cold iceberg lettuce for its trademark crunch, but fill in with darker leafy greens that are unexpected and have slightly different flavor profiles and textures. Like a sweeter green? Go for tatsoi. Want a peppery punch? Go for arugula.
Traveling with your Club Sandwich to a Game Day party?
Build the sandwich as instructed above then wrap the sandwich tightly in sheets of parchment paper then wrap the entire thing tightly in plastic wrap.
The Ultimate Game Day Hoagie
Ingredients
For the Homemade Mayonnaise:
- 2 California prunes
- 2 large eggs if you’re concerned about eating raw eggs, you can use pasteurized eggs
- 1 ½ cups California Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- ½ teaspoon dry mustard
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt or more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
For the Pistachio Pesto:
- 3 cups packed fresh basil leaves
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
- 1/3 cup shelled pistachios
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly-cracked black pepper
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
For the California Club Sandwich:
- 1 loaf Everything Bagel French Bread or regular French Bread
- Olive oil
- ½ cup homemade mayonnaise
- 6 slices assorted cheese: Jalapeno Jack Cheddar, Swiss, Colby Jack.
- ¼ pound – ½ pound thinly sliced turkey
- 6 strips cooked bacon halved
- 1 head iceberg lettuce leaves separated and torn into manageable sized pieces
- 2 packed cups assorted leafy greens: baby spinach tat soi, arugula, buttercrunch, Romaine
- ½-¾- pound red slicing tomatoes sliced thin on a mandoline
- ½ of a large red onion sliced thin, slices soaked in ice water of desired, see note
- ½ cup thinly sliced roasted bell pepper strips
- ½ cup pickled jalapenos
- ½ cup pistachio pesto
Instructions
To make the mayonnaise:
- In a small bowl, place the prunes and pour hot water to cover completely. Let them soak until they’re rehydrated and softened, about 10 minutes.
- Remove the prunes from the water, then finely chop them. Use the side of a chef’s knife or the back of a large spoon to mash the prunes until broken down into a paste. Set aside.
- Place the eggs in a wide-mouth, quart mason jar. Using an immersion blender, blend from the bottom while slowly pouring in the oil, until completely emulsified.
- Add the dry mustard, salt, and pepper, blending until combined.
- Once combined, add the apple cider vinegar and the prunes and blend again to mix well. taste for seasoning and adjust if needed.
- Cover and refrigerate; can be used for up to 5 days.
To make the pistachio pesto:
- In a food processor or blender, pulse the basil, Parmesan, pistachios, garlic, salt and pepper together until finely-chopped.
- With the food processor or blender still running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil until it is completely combined. Pause the food processor or blender and scrape down the sides, then pulse again until the mixture is smooth.
- Serve immediately. Or refrigerate in a sealed container for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
To assemble the sandwich:
- Preheat the oven to broil. Split the French loaf in half, lengthwise, being careful to not slice all the way through. Drizzle the inside of the loaf with olive oil and toast under the broiler for 1-2 minutes until lightly toasted inside.
- Spread the prepared mayonnaise on the bottom of the French loaf. Top with the cheese slices, alternating colors/flavors if using a variety. Layer on slices of turkey and bacon pieces.
- Begin to fill in the sandwich with greens on top of the turkey. Start with the iceberg lettuce then fill in any gaps with other leafy greens. If using varying shades/flavors of leafy greens, be sure to have a visual mix of varieties across the entire loaf of bread. Season the greens layer liberally with fine sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
- Gently fold thin slices of tomato in half and tuck, skin side out, into the sandwich. This will ensure any seeds or liquid from the inside of the tomatoes sops up into the bread and doesn’t drip down the outside of the sandwich.
- Repeat the process of folding and tucking with the thin slices of red onion. Tucking and layering in- between the tomato and leafy greens.
- Fill in any gaps with thinly sliced roasted red bell peppers and pickled jalapenos.
- Finally, spread pesto inside across the top of the toasted French loaf.
- Serve on a platter as one big sandwich for a crowd or slice into individual sandwiches right before serving.
Notes
1. Use a mandoline to make thin, uniform slices of tomato and onion.
2. Use 2 types of cheese slices in varying colors and flavors instead of just one.
3. When choosing leafy greens, use a cold iceberg lettuce for its trademark crunch, but fill in with darker leafy greens that are unexpected and have slightly different flavor profiles and textures. Taste tips: Like a sweeter green? Go for tatsoi. Want a peppery punch? Go for arugula. Raw red onion a little too potent of a flavor for you? Here is how to take the bite out of raw onion slices! Just peel and slice the red onion as called for, then submerge the slices in a bowl of ice water. Allow them to sit in the water for at least ten minutes, stirring once or twice. Then drain and pat dry, if necessary, before using them in your recipe. Traveling with your Club Sandwich to a Game Day party? Build the sandwich as instructed above then wrap the sandwich tightly in sheets of parchment paper then wrap the entire thing tightly in plastic wrap.
Nutrition
Looking for even more Game Day appetizer inspo? Check out the recipes below or peruse our FREE E-book, Golden State Game Day Eats!
More incredible Game Day grub
Toasted Marshmallow + Almond Butter Swirl Sweetpotato Brownies
Looking for a Game Day dessert that everyone will love? Brownies are always a hit, but these incredible Sweetpotato Brownies are truly next level. And don’t even think about skipping the toasted marshmallow + almond butter swirl. You can thank us later….
Game Day Graze Board
Impress your guests with this gorgeous graze board! Our friends at The Delicious Life used California Grown fruits, nuts + cheese to create a stunning spread that just might eclipse the half time show.
Roasted Onion Dip
Everyone loves chips + onion dip. Our homemade Onion Dip is a total upgrade from the usual sour cream mix-in.
Sweetpotato Chips
Store bought chips don’t hold a candle to G-Free Foodie‘s freshly-made Sweetpotato Chips (which complement the Onion Dip beautifully).
Sweetpotato Fry Nachos
Our friend Alison at A Girl Defloured shared her California-inspired twist on the traditional nacho recipe! She used sweetpotato fries, black beans, jack cheese + more to create this epic Game Day snack.
Roasted Ripe Olives
These Roasted Ripe Olives from This Mess is Ours are a superb stand alone snack or an amazing addition to a graze board.
SoCal Citrus Sangria
Wash down your Game Day snacks with a pitcher of SoCal Citrus Sangria! We used a bottle of our favorite California Zinfandel and lots of CA GROWN citrus to craft this refreshing wine cocktail.
