Turkey Cubano
- Total Time
- 15 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 4tablespoons mayonnaise
- Hot sauce or mustard, to taste
- 2(12-inch) soft hero rolls or semolina loaves, split in half horizontally
- 3 to 4ounces cooked turkey breast, thinly sliced
- 8slices deli ham or prosciutto
- 8slices Swiss cheese
- ⅓cup sliced pepperoncini peppers or other pickled hot peppers (optional)
- 1large dill pickle, sliced
- 2tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
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Preparation
- Step 1
Place a rack in the center of the oven and another rack directly below it. Place a rimmed baking sheet on each rack. Once the pans are inside, heat oven to 350 degrees.
- Step 2
In a small bowl, add the mayonnaise and stir in hot sauce or mustard to taste — it should have a kick. Spread mayonnaise mixture inside the rolls, coating both the top and bottom halves. Layer rolls with turkey, ham, cheese, pepperoncini (if using) and pickle slices.
- Step 3
Using your hands, press the sandwiches down and make sure nothing slides out. (If it does, poke it back in.) Then, use a brush to butter the top and bottom halves of the rolls.
- Step 4
Remove a hot baking sheet from the oven and place the sandwiches on top. Layer the other hot baking sheet on top of the sandwiches. Place a small pot cast-iron skillet or other heavy heatproof item on top of that second hot baking sheet to create a press.
- Step 5
Carefully return to oven and bake until sandwiches are warm, toasted and golden brown and the cheese is melted, 8 to 13 minutes. (You’ll have to lift off the second pan to check on the sandwiches.) Cut sandwiches in half and serve immediately.
Private Notes
Comments
When I make cuban sandwiches, I heat up both cast iron skillets (one is slightly smaller than the other) and then put the sandwich between them, pressing down on the top one for a few minutes. It's my informal panini press, and it works. I'm bummed I read this AFTER making a turkey and tomato sandwich on whole grain bread...
I would use the stove top instead of the oven. Two hot sheet pans AND a heavy cast iron skillet being moved to the oven with 2-4 sandwiches on it sounds like a disaster waiting to happen to me. But, then, I’m just a “lightweight” in the kitchen!
I have been living and working in Miami and Ft Lauderdale for 39 years and if a place puts mayo on a cuban sandwich, I wouldn't go back there, it's just not done in the real Cuban places, and no peppers either. They do however use butter or margarine. Roast Pork, Ham, Swiss Cheese, Dill Chips, light mustard, buttered cuban bread, that's it, pressed until hot and toasty cut on the bias. Usually served with Fries.
I did these on the flat top with a hot cast-iron skillet atop. It probably didn't do as good a job melting the cheese as the oven would have done--that was my only complaint about my sandwich. I also found that cutting back on the peperoncini was the way to go--they were perhaps the most flavor-forward ingredient of the entire sandwich but should have been an accent. Personally, I would have preferred milder banana peppers. Nevertheless, this was a fun way to use up roast turkey thighs.
I would recommend doubling the baking time. My mini sandwiches came out barely warm using stainless steel baking sheets.
Excellent. Do not save on the peperoncini and gerkins.
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