PANCETTA, ARUGULA & TOMATO SANDWICH

By BobD

Ingredients

• 4 SERVINGS
• 1 recipe Lemon Aioli
• 8 ounces pancetta, sliced into 16 1/4-inch-thick slices
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling over the tomatoes
• 2 or 3 ripe tomatoes, core end discarded, sliced into 1/4-inch-thick slices
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 8 slices white or whole-wheat sourdough bread
• 1 garlic clove, peeled
• Approximately 2 cups arugula leaves, loosely packed (about 1 to 1 1/2 ounces)

Details

Servings 4
Adapted from epicurious.com

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.

Drizzle the olive oil over the tomato slices, and sprinkle them with salt. Allow them to sit for 5-10 minutes.

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.

LEMON AIOLI

2-3garlic cloves, peeled and chopped (about 1 tablespoon)

1teaspoon kosher salt

1extra large egg yolk

1cup extra virgin olive oil

2-3tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1teaspoon finely chopped lemon zest

Using a mortar and pestle, pulverize the garlic and salt to a smooth paste. (If you don't have a mortar and pestle, smash the garlic with the flat side of a chef's knife or a garlic press.)

If your mortar is too small to whisk the entire amount of oil in (or you don't have one), transfer the mashed garlic and salt to the bowl of an electric mixer or a medium stainless-steel bowl, and whisk in the egg yolk by hand.

Slowly drizzle in the olive oil, drop by drop, whisking constantly. As the mixture begins to thicken, add a teaspoon of vinegar, a teaspoon of lemon juice, and a teaspoon of warm water.

Once you've added almost half of the oil, place the bowl in the mixer fitted with a whisk attachment and mix on medium speed. Or continue to whisk in the oil by hand.

Pour the oil in a slow, steady trickle, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.

As the mixture thickens, add a little more of the lemon juice and water, and continue whisking until the remaining olive oil is completely incorporated and the sauce is thickened.

Season with lemon juice and zest, and salt to taste.