No Cook Meal: Carmine's Cold Italian Heroes and Spiced Melon Balls

Ever get one of those cravings that just won't go away and you have to satisfy it? Last week I was craving a Cold Italian Hero in the worse way and I simply had to have it. At the store I planned on just buying enough to make one or two sandwiches. Then it hit me....why not buy more fixings? It's the perfect no cook meal! These heroes were so tasty that we had no trouble eating them throughout the week. They were a delicious way to stay cool in the awful heat we were having.

Cold Italian Heroes
Adapted from Carmine's Family-Style Cookbook
Serves 4 very hungry people (could easily serve 8)
4 Crispy Hero Rolls, 6-8 inches long
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons dried oregano
salt and freshly ground black pepper
20 slices genoa salami
12 thin slices prosciutto
24 slices mortadella
16 slices provolone
2 large roasted red peppers, halved
4 cups finely shredded iceberg lettuce
12-16 large slices ripe tomato (about 4 tomatoes)
Slice the rolls in half lengthwise, without cutting all the way through. Press them open with your hands.

In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, oregano, and salt and pepper to taste.

Spoon the vinaigrette over both halves of each roll.

To assemble each sandwich, layer 5 slices of salami, 3 slices of prosciutto, 6 slices of mortadella, and 4 slices of provolone on one side of the roll. Top with half a roasted pepper, 1 cup of shredded lettuce, and 3-4 slices of tomato. Season the tomatoes with salt and pepper to taste. Fold the other side of the roll over the sandwich ingredients and press to close. Cut sandwich in half and serve.

Notes/Results: This is one serious and delicious sandwich and it certainly satisfied my craving! One half of the sandwich is plenty to satisfy even a hearty appetite. The first time around I followed the recipe and drizzled the dressing directly on the bread. I'm gonna have to say that isn't my favorite method. Not only did it make the bread soggy, but you couldn't really taste the dressing that way. I prefer drizzling the dressing directly on top instead. I definitely recommend this for a great, flavorful, hearty no cook meal!

I am submitting my Cold Italian Heroes to Deb @ Kahakai Kitchen for her weekly Souper Sundays roundup.
As a side dish to our Cold Italian Heroes I also served Mark Bittman's Spiced Melon Balls. Round and juicy pieces of cantaloupe tossed with lime juice and a sprinkling of salt, cayenne pepper and cilantro. A perfectly refreshing side dish with just a touch of heat!

Mark Bittman's Spiced Melon Balls for Raw Foods Week @ I Heart Cooking Clubs!