Pressed Ham and Cheese Medianoche
Sweet egg bread rolls stacked with ham, roast pork, and swiss, pressed on a hot griddle until flattened and golden, then rested on a rack to stay crisp.
The medianoche takes the same ham, pork, and cheese combination as its cousin the Cuban sandwich and wraps it in a softer, slightly sweet egg bread instead of a crusty loaf. Pressing several at once on a wide griddle makes it easy to feed a crowd. Resting them briefly on a rack before slicing keeps the crust from steaming and going soft.
Ingredients
Method
Tap a number to mark a step doneSplit each sweet egg bread roll lengthwise and spread both cut sides with mustard.
Layer ham, roast pork, dill pickles, and a slice or two of swiss cheese inside each roll, then close the sandwiches.
Spread softened butter over the outside top and bottom of each sandwich.
Heat a griddle or large skillet over medium heat and place the sandwiches on it, pressing down firmly with a spatula or a second heavy skillet.
Cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side, pressing occasionally, until the bread is golden and flattened and the cheese has fully melted.
Transfer the pressed sandwiches to a wire rack for a minute so the bottoms stay crisp, then slice in half and serve warm.
Kitchen note
Let the sandwiches rest on a rack rather than a plate right after pressing; stacking them flat traps steam and turns the crisp crust soft.
