Porchetta sandwich

In a pan add 1 tbsp of olive oil over a medium heat with the butter and allow to melt. Add the red onion and cook until tender, for around 5 minutes.

Add the minced garlic cloves and sliced porchetta and toss to combine. Top with the provolone cheese and then cover and allow to simmer for around 5 minutes.

Divide the mixture between the 4 ciabatta rolls and serve warm.

Tips & tricks

Our first tip is to ensure you slice the porchetta nice and thin. This allows the porchetta to warm through evenly for the best results. If you can let your porchetta rest after cooking in the fridge overnight, this also helps to bring out the most delicious flavors in the meat. And of course, you’ll want to make this sandwich with the best porchetta available. For this, we’d suggest following Alex Dilling’s porchetta recipe, that’s packed full with flavor. You can purchase shop-bought porchetta, but we’d highly recommend taking the time to make it at home for the juiciest meat.

When it comes to the best bread for a porchetta sandwich, you’ll want to opt for rolls that are nice and crusty to pair with the tender texture of the meat. Ciabatta creates a truly authentic Italian sandwich, but a crusty sourdough roll will also work well. Avoid rolls like brioche as they’re too soft to handle the juices from the meat.

The nutty and creamy flavor of provolone cheese pairs exceptionally well with the tender, salty pork. However, if you’re finding this hard to source, you can switch in Havarti cheese or Cheddar cheese, if that’s easier to find in your grocery store.

Storage

Cooked porchetta can be stored for around three days in the fridge in an airtight container. Once you’ve assembled the sandwich, we wouldn’t recommend storing it in the fridge as it’s likely to make the bread very soggy. It’s best to leave your sandwich filling separate from the bread if you’d like to keep it fresh for a later date.

Recipe variations

You really can personalize this recipe as much or as little as you like. Some chefs will introduce herbs like thyme and sage or citrus elements, like lemon zest, to bring out the flavor of the porchetta. You could also add a splash of beer for added flavor complexity. Arugula pairs well with porchetta and brings a peppery crunch to the sandwich, if you want to introduce a touch of greenery to your lunchtime dish.

Now that you've answered the question of what a porchetta sandwich is, you can travel the world over in your kitchen tasting each country’s favorite sandwich, from a British breakfast bap to a Cuban sandwich with pork, salami, and ham.