How to Build a Mediterranean Sandwich

A Mediterranean sandwich is distinguished by its construction rather than its ingredient list. The same components in different proportions produce an entirely different product.

What does the Mediterranean approach mean?

Three principles define it.

The first is oil in place of sauce. Olive oil replaces mayonnaise and cream-based sauces.

Oil provides moisture and aroma without adding weight.

The second is the weight of vegetables. Close to half the sandwich's volume consists of them.

The deli product is not a dominant component but one among several.

The third is acidity. Tomato, lemon, pickles or vinegar must be present.

Those three principles together produce a lighter, more balanced sandwich; the product is filling without being heavy.

Which bread suits a Mediterranean sandwich?

Bread is not a carrier in this approach.

It becomes a component with a taste and texture of its own.

Sourdough suits best; its acidity agrees with the other components.

Ciabatta and focaccia get used too; their open structure absorbs the olive oil.

Baguette is an option, though its crust is hard; the filling slides when bitten.

Wholewheat and rye suit as well.

Soft sandwich bread does not suit this approach; it absorbs the oil and falls apart.

The slices should be a centimetre and a half to two thick; a thin slice cannot carry the load while a thick one overwhelms the other components.

How is the olive oil used?

The oil is the sandwich's sauce layer.

It goes onto both slices.

It gets applied in a thin film with a brush or a spoon.

Two or three teaspoons suffice for one sandwich.

Too much oil wets the bread.

Extra virgin is preferred; its aroma is pronounced and its phenolic compounds high.

Flavour can be added to the oil; thyme, garlic or lemon zest gets steeped in it.

That flavoured oil adds another layer to the sandwich and removes the need for a separate sauce.

How are deli products and cheese balanced?

Both bring salt and fat.

Their combined share should not exceed 30 percent.

Thin slices are preferred among deli products.

Salami, smoked meat, ham and bresaola suit this approach.

Four or five thin slices suffice.

Fresh, soft cheeses suit.

Mozzarella, fresh white cheese and goat's cheese agree with the vegetables.

Hard, sharp cheeses go in small quantity; grated parmesan or a couple of slices of aged kaşar suffices and provides depth.

How is the vegetable layer built?

That is the clearest difference of a Mediterranean sandwich.

Three groups of vegetables get used.

The first is leaves. Rocket, lettuce and spinach leaves provide volume and freshness.

Rocket suits best; its slight bitterness goes well with deli products.

The second is watery vegetables. Tomato and cucumber add moisture and freshness.

Tomato slices should be dried with paper towel; excess water wets the bread.

The third is prepared vegetables. Roasted peppers, sun-dried tomatoes and roasted aubergine; that group brings intense aroma and goes in small quantity.

Why is an acidic element essential?

Fat and salt dominate a sandwich.

Without acid those two accumulate on the palate.

Three sources get used.

The first is tomato; its own acidity provides sufficient contribution.

The second is pickles; cornichons, pickled cucumber and capers get used.

The third is acid directly; a few drops of lemon juice or vinegar go into the olive oil.

Pomegranate molasses is an option suited to Turkish cooking.

Where that component gets skipped the sandwich stays heavy and becomes difficult to finish past halfway; acid makes every bite interesting again.

In what order do the layers go?

The order determines how well the sandwich holds.

Olive oil goes onto the lower slice.

Cheese goes on top of it; the cheese forms a moisture barrier and protects the bread.

The deli products follow.

Then the prepared vegetables and pickles.

Then the watery vegetables; tomato and cucumber sit in that layer.

The leaves go on top.

Olive oil goes onto the upper slice and it closes; that order prevents the watery components touching the bread directly and the sandwich holds together even two hours later.

Does resting help?

It does, and it usually gets skipped.

The assembled sandwich gets wrapped tightly in paper.

It rests fifteen to thirty minutes.

The olive oil works into the bread during that time.

The aromas pass between the components.

The layers compress and the sandwich becomes easier to bite.

That is a traditional practice in Italian and Spanish sandwiches.

A longer rest is possible too; some sandwiches sit under a weight for an hour, which gives a firm, compact product better suited to travelling.

How does it adapt to takeaway?

A Mediterranean sandwich suits transport well.

Being based on olive oil it is safer than sandwiches with mayonnaise; the cold chain requirement is lower.

But watery vegetables can create a problem.

Tomato gets packed separately and added at the moment of service.

Or it stays away from the bread through careful attention to the order of layers.

The sandwich gets wrapped tightly in paper; that both fixes the layers and eases carrying.

Greaseproof paper is preferred; ordinary paper absorbs the olive oil and the product sticks to the wrapping.

Is a hot version possible?

A Mediterranean sandwich generally gets served cold.

But a hot version exists.

A panini press or a toastie maker gets used.

The order of layers changes in a hot presentation.

Leaves stay out; they wilt in the heat and lose their texture.

Watery vegetables get reduced too; they release water in the heat and the bread gets wet.

Cheese gets used more in that version; melting, it binds the layers and the sandwich becomes more compact.

Olive oil goes onto the outside of the bread as well; that creates a golden crust in the press and adds crispness to the product.

The pressing time stays short, two or three minutes, since a longer press dries the bread and the filling loses its freshness entirely.