Smashed Italian Sausage Hoagie
A cheesy & saucy hoagie.
Ethan ChlebowskiIngredients
Sandwich components
- Hoagie rolls1
- Italian Sausage180 g~1/3 lb
- Shallots, thinly sliced1/2
- Provolone2 slices
- Marinarato taste
- Pickled onionsto taste
- Italian Seasoninga sprinkle
Method
Step 1: Press & shape the Italian sausage
On a sheet tray, plate, or parchment paper, flatten & form the Italian sausage into a “hoagie patty”: press it into a cohesive flattened rectangle that is slightly wider and longer than the bread. It will shrink to size during cooking.
If you have sausage links instead of loose ground sausage, remove their casing beforehand.
Evenly spread the sliced onions over the meat patty and gently press them into the meat.
Step 2: Sear the sausage & onion patty
Preheat a cast iron pan or griddle over high heat. Once hot, flip the Italian sausage patty onto the cooking surface, onion side down, just like you would for an Oklahoma onion smash burger.
You shouldn't need to add extra oil since the fat content from the sausage will render out.
Allow the meat to undisturbed on the onion side for a few minutes, or until you see light .
Step 3: Flip the patty, finish with sauce & cheese
Flip the patty. If it has fallen apart, arrange it back into its hoagie shape.
Add a few spoonfuls of marinara sauce over the meat, followed by two slices of provolone cheese, which will help glue everything together.
Add a splash of water to the pan, and cover with a lid, foil, or metal bowl.
This will create that will melt the cheese and finish cooking everything through.
Once the cheese is melted, turn off the heat, and add a sprinkle of Italian seasoning over the top.
Step 4: Warm the bread, assemble, & wrap.
Warm or toast the bread as desired and slice to open. Add an extra spread of marinara to the inside of the hoagie, then transfer the cooked, cheesy sausage patty to the hoagie roll.
Top with pickled onions, then transfer to a piece of foil and tightly wrap.
This will let everything , soften, and come together for a sandwich shop experience.
Enjoy warm.
“This is an example of how I use up leftover ingredients in the fridge to form a cohesive meal. Think of this cheesy & saucy hoagie as a cross between a chopped cheese, an Oklahoma onion smashburger, and a meatball sub. Use your favorite hoagie roll or make your own.”
Ethan ChlebowskiWatch & Cook
Nutritional Information
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FAQ
Why the sprinkle of Italian seasoning on the melted cheese?
Most spices contain fat soluble molecules, so the melted cheese helps unlock their flavor and perfume the sandwich. If you don’t have an Italian seasoning blend, try a sprinkle of dried oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, and/or red pepper flakes.
What other ingredients could I use here?
As explained in the video, this sandwich came together to use leftover ingredients. Any red sauce could work, as could a pesto. Any vegetable toppings are welcome, like pickled banana peppers, sliced onions, or shredded lettuce. Any kind of spicy or mild ground Italian sausage could work, although you could also plain ground meat with extra Italian seasoning.