The origins of Neapolitan Sandwiches can be traced back to the homes of Neapolitan housewives who, to avoid wasting leftovers, attempted to fill the bread with ingredients they had at home.
The Neapolitan Sandwich, also known as “pagnottiello”, is a soft rustic Neapolitan bread, made with flour and lard, filled with cold cuts, cheeses, and eggs.
The choice of ingredients can vary based on personal preferences and what one has at home, but the two elements that are never missing are: Neapolitan salami and provolone.
The dough is the same as for tortano (or casatiello) which traditionally uses ‘nzogna, or lard, obtained from pork fat.
Mine is a gluten-free version, with rice flour and starch that you can replace with all-purpose flour for the traditional version.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Rest time: 3 Hours 30 Minutes
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 6 pieces
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
- 2 cups rice flour
- 1/2 tsp dry yeast (or 2 1/2 oz gluten-free sourdough)
- 2/3 cup rice starch (or corn starch)
- 1 1/2 oz lard
- 2 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup milk (+ 2 tbsps)
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 hard-boiled eggs
- 5 oz mixed diced cold cuts (Neapolitan salami, cooked ham, pancetta, mortadella)
- 3 1/2 oz cheeses (provolone, scamorza, mozzarella and/or pecorino)
- to taste salt and pepper
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 egg yolk
Steps
Work the flour and starch with the yeast, sugar, lard, and oil. Add the milk, water, salt, and pepper.
Cover the dough and let it rise for at least 2 hours.
Roll out a rectangle 1/16 inch thick to cover with cold cuts, cheeses, and crumbled hard-boiled eggs.
Roll up and cut into pieces about 1 1/2 inches thick.
Place on a baking sheet and let rise for another hour and a half.
Brush each piece with egg yolk mixed with 2 tablespoons of milk.
Bake in a static oven at 356°F for 25 minutes.
Neapolitan tradition is not only in the kitchen but also in theater with the works of Eduardo De Filippo.
