Fresh ingredients shine in this open-faced prosciutto sandwich. Hearty grilled bread is topped with a cheater's lemony aioli, tomato, peppery arugula, balsamic vinegar, prosciutto, and olive oil for a simple lunch recipe that tastes anything but.
To date there's not been an Italian-style sandwich I've eaten that I haven't liked, and most I've loved. From panini in Rome to a pressed mortadella sandwich to a southern U.S. supermarket chain's Italian pinwheels (my homemade version linked), it's hard to go wrong with cured meats, tasty cheeses, basil pesto, tangy peppers, a spicy element (Calabrian chili aioli, 'Nduja!), etc. etc. all wrapped in or layered between some sort of carb.
This open-faced prosciutto sandwich is very much so scaled back in comparison, but not lacking in flavor. It allows the flavor of the prosciutto to shine, with a support staff of grilled bread, peppery arugula, shortcut lemony aioli, juicy tomato, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Open-faced sandwiches have a reputation for being unwieldy to eat, and I'd say it's warranted. Losing the top slice of bread makes an open-faced sandwich harder to hold, and gives the ingredients ample opportunity to slide right off (especially when they're slippery, like tomato). Read on for tips on how to make an open-faced sandwich less messy.
Recipe Ingredients
There are five main components of this fresh and simple open-faced prosciutto sandwich.
- Prosciutto: This comes thinly sliced, but slice each slice further into several smaller pieces. Prosciutto's chewiness can be tough to tangle with in an open-faced sandwich, so ensuring the pieces are closer to bite-sized makes it less messy to eat.
- Lemony Aioli: This is a cheater's aioli that uses prepared mayonnaise as a base. The most authentic? Definitely not, but it's quicker, has a longer fridge life, and diminishes food safety worries.
- Good Bread: In my house "good" bread doesn't refer to the regular loaf of soft sandwich bread I keep in the freezer for PB&Js, basic toast, etc. but rather is a nice and wide loaf of crusty, hearty bread from the bakery section of the grocery store. Sourdough, Italian bread, Tuscan boule, something a little fancier like that.
- Tomato Slices: A large beefsteak tomato (heirloom or otherwise) is ideal for this prosciutto sandwich. Cut slices around one-quarter inch and not larger so they don't add too much moisture or cause the rest of the toppings to slip off.
- Arugula: Arugula has a sharper flavor when compared to other greens, which makes it a great option for a sandwich. Especially in one like this with lemony notes! Anything labeled arugula or baby arugula works great.
To taste, you may also want one or a combination of all three: good-quality balsamic vinegar, extra-virgin olive oil, and freshly cracked black pepper.
Easy Recipe Steps
- Step 1: Stir together all of the shortcut lemon aioli ingredients in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes ahead of time.
- Step 2: When ready to make sandwiches, grill/toast bread, spread aioli onto one side of bread, and layer on tomato, arugula, and prosciutto.
Fine Tuning This Sandwich
A sandwich this simple really doesn't require micromanaging, but a few small tips can enhance your eating experience and ensure this open-faced prosciutto sandwich isn't a total mess to eat.
- Prosciutto: Prosciutto is chewy. Cut each thin slice into smaller slices to be less cumbersome when biting into this sandwich. I opted for whole slices when I took these pictures for the sake of aesthetics and was reminded of why this tip is so helpful when I dug in!
- Bread: When grilling bread, I make sure one side is nicely toasted while the other side is only slightly toasted. Overly toasted bread dries out and can scratch up your mouth when eating a sandwich. I slather aioli on the toastier side and leave the softer side on the bottom. If using a toaster, try the bagel setting to toast one side of the bread.
- Tomato: Slice no thicker than one-quarter inch so they don't overwhelm the sandwich. Place slices in a single layer with as little overlap as possible to prevent them from slip sliding off of the bread.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Finishing Touches - A few pantry staples make this prosciutto sandwich extra nice! I recommend seasoning in layers:
- Crack salt and pepper over the tomato slices.
- Drizzle condiment-grade balsamic vinegar over the arugula for a tart sweet punch.
- Drizzle extra-virgin olive oil over the prosciutto.
- Crack black pepper over the prosciutto.
- Ahead-of-Time Prep - One component can be prepped ahead: the aioli can be made up to several days before use, kept covered and refrigerated. Don't slice the tomato until you're ready to assemble and enjoy the sandwich for peak freshness.
- Storage Instructions - This sandwich is best prepared and eaten immediately. If you have leftover prepped ingredients, store them separately from one another and assemble just prior to serving.
More Sandwich Recipes
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Open-Faced Prosciutto Sandwich
Ingredients
For the Lemony Aioli
- ¼ cup mayonnaise lite is fine
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 medium/large garlic clove pressed
- Salt and pepper to taste
For the Sandwiches
- 4 wide slices of good bread
- Salted butter for grilling bread (or olive oil)
- 1 batch lemony aioli or to taste
- 8 large beefsteak tomato slices ¼-inch thick
- Freshly cracked salt and black pepper to taste
- 2 cups arugula
- Balsamic vinegar to taste, optional
- 4 ounces thinly-sliced prosciutto sliced into smaller strips for easier eating
- Extra-virgin olive oil to taste
Instructions
- Prepare aioli. Stir together all aioli ingredients in a small bowl, cover, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors time to meld.
- Grill bread. Spread boths sides of each slice of bread with a thin layer of salted butter (or brush with olive oil). Heat a skillet over medium heat (a grill pan is even better for grill lines) and place the bread in the pan. Grill for several minutes, or until the bread reaches your preferred level of crispness. Flip the slices over and grill lightly on the other side. If you just have access to a toaster, simply lightly toast the bread, omitting the butter.
- Assemble sandwiches. Spread about 1 Tablespoon of the lemony aioli onto the most-toasted side of each slice of bread, then top each with 2 tomato slices. Season tomato slices with salt and pepper to taste. Next add about ½ cup of arugula, then (optionally) drizzle a small amount of balsamic vinegar over the arugula. Top each sandwich off with 1 ounce of sliced prosciutto. Drizzle a few drops of extra-virgin olive oil over the prosciutto and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is provided as an estimate. As it can vary due to many factors (brands used, quantities, etc.), we cannot guarantee its accuracy.
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