My favorite American sandwich is a BLT, yet it almost didn't make it into this book; the world doesn't need another recipe for it. But after eating at 'ino, a tiny sandwich shop in Greenwich Village in New York, I decided their version—a PLT—was a different story. P is for pancetta, sold at Italian delis and upscale markets. Cut from a large salami-like roll, it is the Italian version of bacon, unsmoked and cured with salt and spices. This is strictly a seasonal sandwich; I forbid you to make it at any time except when tomatoes are at their prime—ripe, juicy, and sweet.
Recipe information
Yield
Serves 4
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Place the slices of pancetta about 1/2 inch apart from each other on a baking sheet. Cook them for about 20 minutes, until they're cooked through, but not crisp.
Step 2
Drizzle the olive oil over the tomato slices, and sprinkle them with salt. Allow them to sit for 5-10 minutes.
Step 3
To assemble the sandwiches: Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the lemon aioli on one side of each slice of bread. Arrange the slices of pancetta on the bottom of the slices of bread, and place tomato slices over it. Arrange the arugula on top and cover with the top slice of bread. Spread the outer slices of bread with softened butter and grill in a panini machine, or brush with olive oil and grill on a charcoal or gas grill. Cut each sandwich in half on the diagonal.
