We recently had a heatwave in the South Jersey/Philly area, and this fresh mozzarella and heirloom tomato sandwich was our dinner multiple nights. This is probably the most refreshing summer sandwich you’ll have this season. It’s crisp, fresh, and simple and perfect after you’ve been swimming in the pool or at the beach. Take your tired, sun-soaked, water-logged body into the kitchen and let your hair air-dry while you munch on this winner of a summer sandwich.
Summer Bites: Fresh Mozzarella and Heirloom Tomato Sandwich
I’m a firm believer in the quality of the ingredients. You don’t need much for this recipe, but you’ll want to make sure you’ve got the good goods on hand. You’ll need:
-Crusty sourdough bread. Any sourdough you prefer will work. If you can go to a local bakery, it’s even better. You will want to ask for it sliced thin. We toasted the bread to give it a little firmness to hold the wet ingredients.
-Fresh mozzarella. You could use burrata and make this a tomato burrata sandwich instead, but since burrata is much creamier, and a bit of a wetter cheese, I can’t say it will hold up as well, though it would be more spreadable. For the type of fresh mozzarella, you’ll want to choose either the long logs or a round ball, since you’ll be slicing it thin.
-The best tomatoes for sandwiches are Heirloom or Beefsteak tomatoes. I live in NJ so we have plenty of Jersey Beefsteaks and Heirlooms at my local farmers’ market each week, but any large, ripe, sweet, preferably local tomato will be perfect for this. I’ve recently used a mix of both, and it was delicious.
-Crispy, crunchy, fresh lettuce. No wilted leaves here and this is not the time for spring mix or getting in your dark greens. Here, you’ll want fresh, crisp, crunchy leaves. I like a kind called “sunny crunch,” but the inside of Romaine will also work.
Flavor Makers
-Really good quality extra virgin olive oil. You know the drill: No plastic bottles. Dark glass or tin container. Single origin.
-Really good quality balsamic vinegar or balsamic glaze. The type you get from the specialty Italian shop on the corner or the olive oil and vinegar taproom on Main Street. Probably not the kind you see in the grocery store.
-Mayonnaise. If you dig it. Omit it if not, but I think the creaminess adds a little something extra to the tomatoes. My grandpa used to make tomato and mayo sandwiches in summer, and I think it works. I only buy Hellman’s. I like the olive oil one.
-Sweet pickles. The sweet round slices. You can get regular or lower sodium, whatever you prefer, but just make sure they are sweet, and round. This adds such a nice crunch to the summer sandwich and fits in perfectly.
-Spices. Always the holy grail: onion powder, garlic powder, oregano, crushed red pepper.
Assembly
- Toast your bread, then let it cool while you prep the other elements. You don’t want the bread warm.
- If the fresh mozzarella isn’t already sliced, slice it thin and do the same with your tomatoes. I end up with 4-5 thin slices per sandwich, usually one big tomato per 2-3 sandwiches.
- Toss the tomato slices and the mozzarella with olive oil and salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Spread mayo on both sides of the toasted sourdough, then add one layer of tomato slices, then one layer of cheese. And repeat once.
- Add your lettuce. I like quite a bit of lettuce but add what you wish.
- Top with a row of pickle slices.
- Make your dipping plate on the side: drizzle olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and the above spices (think of the bread and olive oil you get at an Italian restaurant). Dip your sandwich bite-for-bite in the dressing. Enjoy the quickest, tastiest summer dinner.
